Over 681,000 Farmed Animals in the U.S. Died In Barn Fires In 2021
Campaigners are calling for companies to take urgent action over potentially preventable barn fires after hundreds of thousands of animals perish.
Photo: Andrew Skowron
More than 681,000 animals died in potentially preventable barn fires on U.S. farms last year, according to figures by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI).
This follows the worst year on record for fatal barn fires and brings the total number of farmed animal deaths in the last two years alone to a staggering 2.3 million.
The group points out that the number of fires and animal deaths likely exceeds those totals, since municipalities are not generally required to report barn fires, and some companies decline to release the information to the public.
Among the animals killed in the barn fires last year are 433,000 cage-free hens - who account for 64 percent of all animals killed in barn fires in 2021 - and more than 40,000 pigs, confined in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).
The fires themselves are reported to cause immense suffering to the animals trapped on the burning farms: whilst some animals die almost immediately, others have to be euthanized later due to severe burns and smoke inhalation.
“Disaster is all but assured in conventional, industrial farming operations, which cram animals by the thousands into barns with no chance of escape,” said Dena Jones, farm animal program director at AWI.
AWI has been tracking the statistics of animals dying in barn fires since 2013. In total, more than 5.8 million animals have perished this way.
Most often, the cause of barn fires is not conclusively determined. Many, however, are believed to result from electrical malfunctions or defective/improperly placed heating devices. In other cases, faulty equipment or machinery has been the suspected cause, according to AWI.
“Although effective fire suppression methods are available, the industry continues to allow millions of helpless farm animals to burn to death without changing course,” said Jones. “Barn fires aren’t a necessary evil—they can be prevented with proper planning, including such simple steps as installing smoke detectors or repairing faulty space heaters.”
In a newly updated report, “Barn Fires: A Deadly Threat to Farm Animals, AWI lists several recommendations that could potentially prevent thousands of animals from dying in barn fires. These include improving operational protocols, such as performing annual inspections and implementing fire safety training for employees. Moreover, producers should invest in structural renovations, such as smoke detection systems and on-site water storage units in areas that have little access to reliable water sources.
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