It's unlikely the cause of a barn fire that killed thousands of chickens Monday will ever be known.
Thousands of chickens were killed when fire broke out in a barn on Sumas Prairie early Monday morning, but firefighters were able to stop the flames from destroying an adjacent building holding more birds.
Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service crews were called to a barn on Tolmie Road around 6:30 a.m.
When they arrived, they found flames shooting out the roof for the length of one barn, and fire moving into a second barn.
Around 5,000 birds were killed in the first barn, which was completely destroyed.
But while the blaze did collapse a portion of the second barn's roof, assistant fire chief Ron Hull said Monday the birds inside were still alive after the fire was extinguished.
The following day, assistant fire chief Craig Bird said the investigation into the fire was closed, and the fire was not considered suspicious. He said the heat generated by the fire makes it unlikely a cause will be determined.
Bird credited firefighters for stopping the flames from destroying the second barn and the birds inside.
"Crews did a fantastic job," he said. "It was touch and go there for a little bit."