Thousands of chickens die in a fire in western Germany

Several thousand chickens have perished in a fire at a poultry farm in Saarland in the west of Germany. 

Initial investigations suggest the damage amounts to around €1 million ($1.16 million), police said. The farm housed around 7,000 chickens, a large proportion of which were lost to the flames.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Monday in the Hemmersdorf district.

When the emergency services arrived, the barns were fully ablaze, police said. The fire brigade brought the flames under control after several hours, according to the police. 

The cause of the fire remains unclear. Operations were still ongoing on Monday morning.