Much of the Wabash Valley Produce facility, an egg production complex in Farina, is now in ruins after being destroyed by a fire Wednesday night.
Built in 2016, the facility is Wabash Farms’ first cage-free laying hen and pullet complex, and the facility has been expanded in the years following its construction, according to Wabash Valley’s website.
One of the departments that responded to the scene was the Altamont Fire Protection District, which provided a tanker truck to help fight the blaze. Altamont Fire Chief Jon Becker said he hasn’t heard any reports of injuries caused by the fire.
“I was told that the page-out time was around 6:15 p.m. We did not get paged for assistance until 9:15 p.m.,” Becker said.
Becker was unable to verify which other departments assisted at the scene of the fire but said there were several. However, Effingham Fire Chief Brant Yochum said three firefighters from his department also responded.
“I just know that we sent our ladder truck,” Yochum said.
Becker and Yochum said firefighters from their departments left the area at around 4 a.m. after helping to clear the scene.
Becker said he is unaware of what caused the fire.