OTSEGO TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — About 300,000 hens have died in a barn fire at a southwestern Michigan poultry farm.

WWMT-TV reports that the blaze started about 11 a.m. Friday at the Otsego Township farm.

The barn was destroyed. Konos Inc. spokesman Brian Burch tells the television station that about 50 people work at the cage-free farm.

About 250,000 hens in a second barn were unharmed. Fire crews were forced to truck in water to battle the blaze. Burch said the facility is not on city water lines.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.