CRISFIELD, Md.- Authorities are investigating an early Sunday morning poultry house fire in Somerset County that left thousands of chickens dead.
According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office, just before 10 a.m. Sunday, the Crisfield Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire on the 3600 block of Freedomtown Road in Crisfield.
Approximately 27,000 chickens perished in the fire. Deputy state fire marshals, who are investigating the incident, said they are not ruling out a propane heating system as the cause of the fire at this time.
It took firefighters just over two hours to put out the blaze. The fire is estimated to have caused at least $50,000 worth of damage.
A smoke alarm was not present, according to fire officials. There was a sprinkler system present, which reportedly activated.
