Three million chicks killed in hatchery fire

An estimated three million chicks were killed in a fire which destroyed the UK’s biggest independent hatchery, it emerged today.

About 100 firefighters took four hours to bring the fire under control at Mayfield Chicks, in Haslingden, near Blackburn, Lancashire.

Crews were still damping down at the scene today. It is believed a female employee spotted smoke and raised the alarm at just before 5pm yesterday.

All the staff were safely evacuated. Mayfield Chicks is the biggest independent hatchery in the UK, breeding more than one million chicks every week.

Company directors were meeting today to discuss the future of the site although manager Mike Haines has vowed the company, which employs 45 people, will bounce back.

He said: ‘‘We are not exactly sure what caused this. It has to be assessed by the fire brigade.’’

A spokesman for Lancashire fire brigade estimated that three million chicks were in the building.

He said it was too early to determine the cause and fire investigation officers were working with police and factory bosses to try to establish what happened.