Stanwood farm fire kills about 180,000 chickens

STANWOOD — A fire that started late Tuesday night at a Stanwood chicken farm killed about 180,000 chickens and caused $2.2 million in damage.

Authorities have not determined the cause of the fire, but said Wednesday there was no evidence that it was suspicious.

The Snohomish County Fire Marshal's Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the cause of the fire. Federal officials are assisting because of the high dollar loss.

The fire was reported just before midnight Tuesday, and firefighters from several fire districts continued dousing hot spots beneath the burned debris and dead chickens at the farm in the 2000 block of 268th Street Northwest into late Wednesday morning.

Three chicken coops, each 60 feet wide and 600 feet long, burned to the ground, according to North County Fire and EMS Battalion Chief Christian Davis. He said the coops were attached at one end by a connecting structure, where feeders, conveyor belts and other equipment were located. He said fire investigators are concentrating on that structure in their search for a cause.

Mark Bookey, president of Everett-based National Food Corp., a local egg and egg-product producer that owns the farm, watched Wednesday morning as firefighters worked to cool the debris, but said the company had no comment.

Mike and Lorna Keller, who live down the road from the farm, said the lights and sirens from the various trucks woke them up at about midnight.

"It was just roaring," Lorna Keller said of the fire.

She said the fire and water trucks were lined up along 268th Street Northwest, trying to put out the blaze.

"We could still see flames at 2 a.m.," Mike Keller added.

The Kellers said more water resources — such as fire hydrants — could have helped firefighters control the blaze sooner, possibly saving one or more of the buildings on the farm.

"There's no fire hydrants; they had to haul tankers in here," Lorna Keller said. "We're all on well water."

Mike Keller said the closest water supply he knows of is Sunday Lake, nearly two miles away.

Phillip Lucas: 206-515-5632 or plucas@seattletimes.com

Seattle Times staff reporter Sara Jean Green contributed to this report.