SANFORD — Thousands of chickens died in a fire over the weekend at Chatham County farm, according to authorities.
On Saturday, the Pittsboro Fire Department’s Asbury substation responded to a call at Bright Farms, located at 89 Wade Bright Road.
According to Brian Shaw, assistant Pittsboro fire chief, “[One chicken house] was probably 75 percent involved when crews first got there.”
The chicken house was approximately 400 feet long, and Shaw said he heard one house could contain up to 12,000 birds, although he could not confirm that number, he said it would be a fair assumption that thousands of birds died.
Gordon Bright, owner of Bright Farms, could not be reached for comment. Another source at the farm declined to provide her name.
“The only thing I know [that might have caused the fire] is the chicken house has fans in it,” the anonymous source said. “It started down at one end of the house. We think the fans might have overheated. It can happen.”
As far as an official cause, Shaw said, “all of that is undetermined right now.”
The chicken house, which was about 12 to 15 years old, was one of three chicken houses on the property, according to the source, but no other structures were affected during the blaze.
Of the blow to the business, Shaw said, “I hate it for them.”
“We’re very sad for their loss,” he added. “Our heart goes out to them, that’s for sure.”
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