Employee fired after 12,000 pigs perish in barn fire

An employee with Olymel L.P. has been fired after 12,000 pigs died in a blaze at a Saskatchewan pig barn last week.

On Wednesday, the company said it is investigating following a report from the Rosetown fire department about an employee who would not allow emergency personnel on the company’s property as the fire tore through the barn.

Richard Vigneault, a spokesman for the Quebec company, said he couldn’t provide further information but said the matter was serious.

“Olymel never terminates somebody’s job … without serious justification or reason,” he said.

The fire, which took place at a barn roughly 45 minutes northwest of Rosetown, started Friday around 11:40 p.m.

The blaze gutted the barn by the time firefighters arrived.

Rosetown fire Chief Dennis Ogg said gaining access to the site wouldn’t have changed the outcome from the blaze but said it was unusual for an employee to not allow fire crews access to the scene.

“He didn’t want us on the property, he had us stay on the access road,” said Ogg.

Because the barn was already fully engulfed and there was no danger of the fire spreading to nearby houses, Ogg said his crews respected the employee’s wish.

“He was pretty adamant we stay off the property,” Ogg said.

“I’ve never had that happen in 40 years. I’ve never seen it.”

The fire has also spurred reaction from animal rights activists in Canada.

Humane Society International’s Canadian farm animals campaign manager Riana Topan called on lawmakers to “finally take barn fire prevention seriously.”

In a statement, the group called on the Government of Canada to ensure that the next edition of the National Farm Building Code requires farmers to “install fire safety equipment and develop comprehensive fire safety plans.”

Olymel never terminates somebody’s job … without serious justification or reason.