Near Kurten, Texas, an expansive blaze across multiple buildings at Feather Crest Farms took at least two days to extinguish.
The poultry farm fire in rural Brazos County was reported at 5 p.m. on Monday. Units began to respond within 10 minutes, and by 8:22 p.m., over 100 firefighters were on the scene and had contained the fire to the two buildings.
“Monday evening, a fire occurred at Feather Crest farm in Kurten, Texas,” said Sam Krouse, CEO of MPS Eggs. “The fire affected two chicken houses on site, and we are very sad to say one house had chickens in it at the time that have been lost. We are thankful for the swift actions of our entire team and that they are all safe. We also deeply appreciate the first responders who reached the farm quickly and helped to prevent any further damage.”
Upon arriving, firefighters found that the two poultry houses were already on fire — one that housed chickens. Immediately, the concern became keeping the fire from spreading. The height of the buildings and the wind, which thankfully didn’t get gusty, proved challenging, keeping firefighters from entering any of the three-story, metal buildings.
Water shuttles running to the farm helped provide a constant flow of water. According to local reports, the cause of the fire is unknown, and no people were injured.
Firefighter crews remained on site overnight, monitoring the fire, which was finally fully contained Wednesday. They continue monitoring the farm, periodically checking to ensure nothing relights.
Part of the burned buildings was a new construction building, where firefighters believe the flames started. According to the news source, a construction worker at the plant told 15 KRHD that they were out of a job while other plant workers had already returned to work.
Both buildings are currently a total loss, but responders noted no environmental concerns. The number of chickens lost has not been released.
The 70-year-old farm began remodeling existing facilities and expanding production after being purchased by MPS Eggs in 2020, becoming one of the company’s six facilities across the United States.
According to WATTPoultry, the acquisition added 1 million hens to its operation. As the sixth-largest egg producer in the country, MPS Eggs supplies eggs to major retailers such as Kroger. The company manages over 11 million hens.
At the time of acquisition, Feather Crest Farms employed nearly 100 workers.