Outhouses at the farm Tjörn on Vatnsnes peninsula, between Hvammstangi and Blönduós in northwest Iceland, burnt to the ground on Saturday night, killing more than 200 birds of the Icelandic settlement hen stock.
Icelandic settlement hens. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
The farm’s only inhabitant, Júlíus Baldursson, woke up to the crackling of the fire, managed to get out of the house in time and notify the fire department, Morgunbladid reports.
A building connecting the farm to the outhouses was also destroyed in the fire but the farm itself was spared.
The research department of the police in Akureyri has investigated the scene but the source of the fire remains unknown.
However, according to ruv.is, it is considered likely that the fire started due to electricity.
Four cats and 25 roosters were also killed and around 900 eggs that were about to hatch were destroyed.
This is a great loss for the Icelandic hen stock; Baldursson was among the most active breeders. When he bought his first bird around 30 years ago the hen stock had almost gone extinct.
Click here to read more about Baldursson and his hens.
