Firefighters battled a barn fire near Hensall early Friday morning that killed about 1,000 pigs.
Emergency responders received the call regarding a barn fire on Fansville Line between Zurich and Hensall just after 9:15 a.m.
The barn was engulfed in flames when fire crews arrived and was levelled by noon.
Officials say the owner was on site at the time of the fire, and found the barn full of smoke when he came out of his office, which was also located in the barn.
At that point there was nothing he could do to deal with the fire and he exited of the building.
He was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.
The barn was destroyed by the fire, but no people were injured. No cause or damage estimate have been released.
The barn housed a mix of about 300 sows and 700 weaner pigs, all of which died in the fire.
Fansville Line was closed between Walnut Road and Zurich-Hensall Line for much of the day as crews battled the blaze.
Acting Bluewater Fire Chief Dave Renner says that despite the perception, Huron County isn't seeing more barn fires this winter.
"The Huron County chiefs have been talking about it and, really, we're not seeing a larger number - more fires than usual. It's just that now it's in the media and it's [bringing] awareness. Barn fires happen, unfortunately, and livelihoods are lost."
The fire is the latest in a series of fires in southwestern Ontario since the beginning of January, starting with a high-profile stable fire near Guelph, Ont. that killed more than 40 racehorses.
