Fire at Harrod chicken farm started in breezeway

HARROD — A fire Tuesday at a chicken farm caused three people to go to an area hospital and some chickens to be impacted by the smoke and heat.

The fire at the 400,000-bird facility for Ruth Farms, 3631 Lawrence Road, Harrod, started in the breezeway connecting the large north and south barns, where the electrical and automated systems were housed, according to Ohio Department of Commerce Deputy Chief Communications Officer Tom Brockman. The Department of Commerce includes the state fire marshal’s office. The primary damage was to the breezeway with physical damage to the walkway, and both barns received smoke damage.

Brockman said three people were treated at a local hospital and have been released. It is not known what their relationship is to the farm.

A “substantial number” of chickens were impacted by smoke inhalation and heat due to the fan system being disrupted when it caught on fire, Brockman said. It was unknown Thursday if any of them died.

Brockman said his office doesn’t suspect anything suspicious about how the fire started. The investigation of what exactly caused the fire is still underway.

The Harrod Auglaize Township Fire Department confirmed 11 departments responded to the fire, and the initial attack occurred within one hour. The fire started around noon, and crews were on scene until the early evening doing cleanup.

Reach Charlotte Caldwell at 567-242-0451.