Firefighters in England were called to a pig farm Saturday after a pig sparked a fire in its pen by swallowing a pedometer which then combusted “after nature had taken its course,” officials said.
Copper from the pedometer’s batteries apparently reacted with the pig’s excrement to ignite the fire.
The pedometers were being used on pigs to prove they were free-range.
No pigs or people were hurt in the fire.
In a twitter post, the local fire department said the fire spread to 4 pigpens.
13:37 Should be an oink not a tweet. Tadcaster and Knaresbororough firecrews attended a fire to 4 pigpens near Bramham. No pigs harmed. Cause of fire attributed to a battery powered pedometer carried by one of the pigs (to prove it was free-range), which was eaten by the other1/2
— North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (@NorthYorksFire) March 7, 2020
2/2 ...pigs. After nature had taken its course, it's believed that the copper from the batteries reacted with the pigpens contents and in conjunction with dry bedding, ignited burning approx. 75sqm of hay. A hosereel was used to extinguish the fire and save the bacon.
— North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (@NorthYorksFire) March 7, 2020
13:37 Should be an oink not a tweet. Tadcaster and Knaresbororough firecrews attended a fire to 4 pigpens near Bramham. No pigs harmed. Cause of fire attributed to a battery powered pedometer carried by one of the pigs (to prove it was free-range), which was eaten by the other1/2
— North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (@NorthYorksFire) March 7, 2020