Limerick blaze kills 12,500 chickens

THOUSANDS of chickens were incinerated after an accidental fire destroyed a poultry farm early yesterday.

Over 12,500 chickens, just weeks old, perished at the facility near Castlemahon in west Limerick. The fire broke out at around 3.40am. Initial reports point to an electrical fault.

However, despite the best effort of firefighters from Newcastle West and Rathkeale, all that was left by 7am was a burned-out broiler house and a smell of charred chickens.