Massive Chicken House Fire Destroys Building and Kills 35,000 Birds

Caroline County, MD - A large structure fire broke out Sunday afternoon in the 6600 block of Reliance Road in Federalsburg, Caroline County, Maryland, destroying a massive chicken house and killing thousands of birds inside.

The fire was reported at approximately 12:50 p.m. on May 10, 2026. The owner of the property discovered the fire and called for help.

The chicken house measured 60 feet by 500 feet, making it a large commercial poultry operation. By the time crews arrived and got the fire under control, the building and everything inside had been lost.

The Federalsburg Volunteer Fire Department led the response and were assisted by multiple additional agencies, calling in a two alarm assignment along with a Tanker Task Force. Around 60 firefighters worked the scene to battle the blaze. It took crews 1 hour and 17 minutes to bring the fire under control.

Investigators with the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal determined the fire started inside the chicken house. The preliminary cause points to an electrical or mechanical failure of the chicken house tunnel fan.

The financial losses from the fire are significant. The structure itself is estimated at a $500,000 loss. The contents, which include 35,000 chickens that perished in the fire, carry an additional estimated loss of $35,000.

Fires like this are a serious concern for Eastern Shore farming communities, where poultry operations make up a major part of the local economy. The loss of a building this size, along with tens of thousands of birds, can have a lasting impact on a farming family.