Leisele (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The morning fire in Leisele near Alveringem killed 250 pigs in a barn. Nosy neighbours failed to detect the blaze, which started the previous night. The lack of oxygen caused the fire to die on its own. Most animals perished from smoke, which escaped due to burning roof insulation.
The barn fire at Leisele near Alveringem caused the death of about 250 pigs during the early hours of this morning. The initial source of flames started during the night and remained invisible until the farmer noticed smoke close to the stables around 8 a.m. The fire ended by itself because it ran out of oxygen despite causing the animals’ deaths from smoke inhalation that occurred during the self-extinguishing process.
“When we arrived, there was actually no fire anymore,”
Says fire captain Guido Snick.
“There was only some smoke visible. It turned out that there had been a fire, but it had extinguished itself due to lack of oxygen.”
“In the barn where the fire raged, there were 3 compartments. All the animals in that particular section died. Most of the pigs died from the smoke, which was spread by the smouldering insulation of the roof.”
“We checked and ventilated the other stables. In this way we were able to prevent the fire from spreading to other stables.”
What is the history behind barn fires in Agricultural Regions?
Barn fires persist as a regular problem in pastoral zones, leading to substantial losses of livestock and property. European region records these incidents because of electrical failures, including short circuits and the ignition of flammable materials, including insulation. The recent decade has produced similar catastrophic incidents in surrounding areas, which demonstrates the instability of animals housed in neighbouring animal facilities.
A barn fire in Belgium in 2019 led to the death of 300 pigs when electrical system failure emerged as the leading factor in the destruction. People now seek improved fireproof materials, enhanced electrical systems, and stronger safety regulations following recent barn fires.
Current safety initiatives face numerous obstacles because outdated building elements in older facilities create additional safety threats. The Leisele fire demonstrates farmers must take preventive steps and boost their awareness about disasters to protect their farms from future catastrophic events.
