According to Troop M, Bethlehem, Public Information Officer Trooper Nathan T. Branosky the cause of the fire which killed some 4,000 hogs and destroyed two barns at the Timothy Billig farm in Lynn Township on Sept. 21 will be “listed as undetermined at this time.”

“Unfortunately, due to largely the amount of structure loss and the collapsing of both barn buildings on the property, the ability to generate a cause is greatly hindered,” Branosky wrote in an email sent to The Press on Sept. 24. “At this time, we are not looking at any criminal involvement in this case.”

Branosky wrote there was a system of misting devices inside the barns for the animals during summer months.

“But there were no sprinkler systems installed in the buildings with regard to a fire suppression type system,” the trooper explained, adding the investigation is continuing with the process of being evaluated by Billig’s insurance company.

Lynnport Fire Chief Clark Mantz spoke with The Press on Tuesday.

Mantz noted the Billig farm is a farrow-to-finish operation where the hogs are born and raised and then go to market.

He said between 75 to 100 volunteer firefighters from Lynnport, New Tripoli, Germansville, Kempton, Weisenberg, Schnecksville, Fogelsville, Neffs, Kutztown, and Penn Township and New Ringgold in Schuylkill County, responded around 6 a.m. Sept. 21 to the farm along Springhouse Road.

The firefighters from Schuylkill County were needed for additional manpower. South Whitehall Township’s Station 32, Woodlawn, responded with its cascade unit, and several of the fire companies brought tankers to transport water from a pond at the farm.

In addition, Station 43 the Lehigh County Special Operations Drone Team responded.

“My biggest concern were the four big propane tanks between the two barns,” Mantz said.

We tried to cool them down at one end of the two barns.”

The chief noted there was a pond on the property but getting the water to the barns was a bit of a challenge.

“It was one lane in and one lane out,” Mantz said. “There was barely room to operate.”

Mantz said a representative of the state Department of Environmental Protection arrived on scene and spoke with a representative of the state Department of Agriculture.

There were three ways discussed to dispose of the bodies: burying or composting the remains, or putting them in a landfill.

Mantz said Billig buried the carcasses in a trench.

“The pig operation is wiped out,” Mantz said of the hogs located back near the mountain.

The Billigs also have the main farm where they grow potatoes and other crops.

“But a big part of their income is gone,” Mantz said.

In addition to thanking all the volunteer firefighters and fire police, there was one special person Mantz asked to thank.

“I want to thank (fire company vice president) Heather Utt,” Mantz said. “She got the kitchen crew together and brought out food to the farm for the firefighters.”