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PUTNAM COUNTY, MO. -- A Thursday afternoon fire kills dozens of pigs on a northeast Missouri farm.

The call came in just after 3 p.m. that a hog barn on the Truman Yoder farm northwest of Unionville was on fire.

Firefighters said a neighbor saw the smoke and reported the blaze on 100th Street about a mile east of Putnam County Route U.

"We had a pretty quick response time getting up here and everything,” said Captain Ellis Jarvis with the Unionville Fire Department. “We got here. The building was fully involved and the roof had (come) in on it."

Jarvis said the metal building is a complete loss.

He said the fire killed five mother pigs and approximately 100 baby pigs, but despite that, there is a bit of good news.

“There was several head of pigs that were saved,” said Jarvis. “They had them out, and they were running loose out here when we arrived."

Jarvis told KTVO investigators believe the fire was electrical in nature.

He said they think a pig may have chewed through an electric cord on one of the heating pads used to keep the baby pigs warm.

A complete damage estimate is not yet available.

Fire departments from Seymour and Corydon, Iowa also helped battle the blaze.

Crews were on the scene for about two-and-a-half hours.

A Putnam County ambulance was also standing by in case it was needed, but fortunately no one was hurt.