Source: MEATINGPLACE, 1/11/12

Arson is suspected in a fire that destroyed 14 trucks at one of California’s largest cattle feeding operations, and anonymous animal rights activists have claimed responsibility for the blaze.

No one was hurt in the fire, which was set between 3:30 and 3:45 a.m. Pacific Time Sunday at the Harris Farms feedlot in Fresno County, Calif., Mike Casey, the company’s vice president of risk management and human resources, told Meatingplace.

Several law enforcement agencies are investigating the incident, which also caused fire and smoke damage to several cattle trailers, Casey said. The company had not received any recent threats from animal activists, he said.

“We did not sustain any interruption in our business, and we don’t have an estimate yet of the extent of the damage,” Casey said.

The feedlot typically has from 100,000 to 120,000 head of cattle on feed at any given time, Casey said.
Anonymous activists sent a statement claiming credit for the fire to the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, Nicoal Sheen, a spokeswoman for the press office, told Meatingplace. The Animal Liberation Press Office releases to the media communiqués that it receives from underground animal rights groups.
The statement said containers of accelerant were placed beneath the row of trucks, with four digital timers used to light them and kerosene-soaked rope carrying the fire to the other 10 trucks.

The activists said they chose a “direct form of action” to show that “the enemy is still vulnerable,” according to the statement.

“We weren’t sure how well this was going to work, so we waited until there were news reports before writing this. We were extremely pleased to see that all 14 trucks were a total loss,” the statement said, concluding “until next time ...”

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