State seeks burial site for burned pigs
Last Thursday, 525 pigs were killed in hog confinement fire in Des Moines, Iowa. State environmental officials are helping the Dubuque farmer to bury the 6-week old pigs.
According to the New Vienna Fire Chief, Henry Westoff, the building on the Gary Wedewer farm, west of Dubuque, is suspected to have caught fire from an electrical or furnace problem.
Doug Hawker, an environmental specialist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said, “Of course there are a lot of immediate issues that have to be dealt with after a catastrophe like this, but it’s vitally important that producers check with us on disposing of the animals to prevent groundwater and other sorts of contamination.â€
His agency sent two people to the site on Friday to determine if proposed burial sites are located in areas with high water tables, as is indicated by a preliminary check of soils maps.
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