50,000 chickens killed in Bataan poultry farm fire; damage pegged at P37 M
BALANGA CITY, Bataan (PNA) – A fire hit a multi-million peso poultry farm in an upland barangay here Saturday afternoon, Aug. 20, killing 50,000 chickens and leaving an estimated damage of more than P37 million.
Elvira Tamayo, owner of the poultry farm in Barangay Upper Tuyo, said Sunday, Aug. 21, that destroyed were two double-decker buildings valued at P15 million each for a total of P30 million, 50,000 heads of 23-day-old broiler chickens worth P6 million, and 500 bags of feeds valued at P1 million.
The broiler chickens, she said, were set to be harvested in 10 to 15 days.
“Hindi masyadong maliwanag kung saan nanggaling ang apoy dahil kasalukuyang nagpapakain ng manok ang mga tao nang tumakbo sa akin ang farm manager na may sunog. Nang dumating kami sa lugar ay mataas na ang usok na maitim na maitim at may apoy na (It is not clear where the fire started. Our people were feeding chickens when our farm manager ran and told me that there was a fire. When we reached the place, the smoke which had risen high was too dark and there was already fire),” Tamayo said.
“Nagsimula sa second floor pero hindi lang namin malaman kung saan talaga nanggaling ang apoy dahil palagi namang naiinspeksyon ang lugar at kumpleto sa lahat ng kailangan (The fire started on the second floor but we do know where it really originated because the place had always been inspected and was complete in all that was needed),” she added.
Tamayo said she could not yet ascertain the exact worth of the total damage but she was sure the damaged two poultry houses, including the burnt chickens and feeds, were worth some P37 million.
Tamayo said they are contract growers of Dan Way Processing Corp. owned by one Engr. Danilo Baylon.