BRANCH COUNTY, MI   (WKZO) -- About a thousand pigs perished in a weekend fire in Branch County’s Bronson Township. The blaze at the hog farm operation north of U-S-12 at Taggart and Kibiloski roads was reported around 4 a.m. Saturday. The Bronson Fire Department found two of the three pole barns housing the pigs in flames when they reached the scene. They were able to get around 200 of the hogs out of the barns to safety. Just how the fire got started

remains under investigation and the State Fire Marshall’s office will be assisting in trying the find a cause. Two of the three barns were declared a total loss with damages to the structures and contents owned by Corey Avra of Montgomery estimated at more than a half-million dollars. The Burr Oak and Colon Fire Departments provided mutual aide.  Firemen were on the job for seven hours.