Former Texas Egg Complex burns

By Jeremy Weber
jweber@campcountynow.com

A large cloud of smoke dominated the sky southeast of Pittsburg for hours last Monday afternoon as a massive blaze consumed two large chicken houses at the old Texas Egg complex.
According to Pittsburg Fire Chief Carl Cravey, the blaze began when sparks from blow torch ignited the grass as workers were attempting to remove unused feeders from an empty building. The fire spread quickly and was already well out of control when Pittsburg Fire and Rescue received an emergency call at 2:27 p.m.
 “When we got there, one of the buildings was pretty much fully involved. The fire had also already moved to the second building and it was about 40 percent involved,” the Chief said said.” We started laying our hoses out and trying to get a water supply established. That did not take very long, but, in that time, the fire progressed to where the second building was about 75 percent involved.”
The two 500-foot-long buildings, which were once a part of the Texas Egg complex and later a Pilgrim’s Pride farm, were bought by local businessman James Cavender a few years ago and were not being used to house chickens at the time of the fire.
The dry conditions and light winds continued to help the fire spread through the complex as Chief Cravey and his men decided on their best course of action and how best to contain the fire.
 

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