Fire at Westpork Gingin Property

FIRE AT WESTPORK GINGIN PROPERTY

188. Hon LYNN MacLAREN to the minister representing the Minister for Local Government:

I refer to the fire on 25 April at Westpork’s Gingin property.

(1) Did the fire occur in the farrowing shed where the breeding sows and piglets are?

(2) How many animals died in the fire?

(3) Will the minister table the evacuation and fire-fighting plans Westpork is required to have under the code of practice?

(4) How was the emergency response handled?

(5) Is the minister aware that the cause of the fire was reported as rodents chewing through electrical wiring?

(6) Has effective vermin control required under the new national code of practice been adopted in the Western Australian regulations?

Hon PETER COLLIER replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question.

(1) A fire occurred in one of the farrowing sheds of the Westpork piggery.

(2) One hundred and twenty-nine sows were killed, with 113 of them having farrowed. The remaining 16 were due to farrow the following week. It is estimated that between 1 184 and 1 322 piglets were killed. Two sows survived.

(3) The “Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Pigs: Third Edition” is a voluntary code.

(4) I am advised that the Fire and Emergency Services Authority, WA Police and the State Emergency Service attended.

(5) I have been informed that FESA’s preliminary view was that the fire was electrical in nature. The Department of Local Government is awaiting a report from Western Power.

(6) The latest national code of practice, 2008, does not specifically require effective vermin control.