Vigil planned for chickens killed in egg-farm fire

Animal rights activists are planning vigils this weekend to honor the lives of more than 100,000 chickens that were killed when an egg farm caught fire in Tooele County.

Authorities say an electrical or mechanical problem with manure-handling equipment sparked the Tuesday-morning blaze at Fassio Egg Farms in Erda, west of Salt Lake City.

The animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere said in a news release Friday that they want to raise awareness about the fire. They have vigils planned on Saturday and Sunday morning.

Fire officials say water tanks at the farm didn’t have enough water to quench the blaze and a generator powering the water pumps was dangerously close to the fire.

Fassio official Corby Larsen says between 120,000 and 150,000 chickens died in the fire at two of the farm’s largest chicken coops.

No human workers were hurt.