The loss of about 2500 weaners in Wednesday morning’s fire has left Wonga piggery owners and staff “absolutely shattered”, a family representative has said.
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It was estimated 2500 weaners were killed in a shed fire at the piggery - which houses close to 40,000 pigs - on Moppity Road at 5.30am Wednesday morning.
The blaze destroyed 70 per cent of the 120 metre shed that contained the pigs.
Three Fire & Rescue NSW tankers - including one each from Harden and Boorowa, five Rural Fire Service tankers, police and ambulance attended the scene.
About 1500 weaners were able to be saved and moved to another shed.
A Riverina Local Land Services (LLS) vet and biosecurity officer from Young attended the scene after the fire to assess up to 60 fire-affected pigs.
A total of 33 weaners had to be euthanised.
“Staff are absolutely shattered by the loss of life of the animal they care for,” said Australian Pork Limited general manager of communications Emily Mackintosh, representing owners Andre and Andrew Rowntree.
“You’ve got a group of people passionate about raising pigs and so dedicated to their jobs and the animal and something unforeseen happens.
“It’s an absolute tragedy.”
Police forensic officers arrived on scene at 11am the morning of the fire and remained there until 4pm, investigating the cause.
Young Police Inspector Ashley Holmes said there was nothing to indicate the fire was suspicious.
“It seems more likely it was a heating fault,” he said.
“I don’t think we’ll ever know what really happened because everything is burnt out.”
A handful of volunteer firefighters remained on site for most of the morning to assist staff and LLS officers returned to the property later in the day to help clean-up and provide advice on the appropriate disposal and reducing the disease risk of the carcasses.
“The EPA doesn’t allow them to dispose of the carcasses on site so they will be transporting them to a landfill about an hour out of Young,” Ms Mackintosh said.
She said piggery staff spent most of Wednesday ensuring the fire didn’t spread throughout the facility, focusing on the safety of the surviving pigs and mopping up.
Australian Pork Limited is working with the piggery management to provide counselling.
“Staff are first focussing on what is at hand, then moving forward, averting anything like this from happening again,” Ms Mackintosh said.
Ms Mackintosh said Windridge Farms would to sincerely thank the firies, police, LLS, local businesses and any other individuals for their support.
“They are really overwhelmed by the support and condolences they’ve received.”
Member for Cootamundra Katrina Hodgkinson - who has had many dealings with Wonga piggery owners - said she was devastated to learn of the loss of the significant number of weaners and passed on her deepest condolences.
