Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT

AsiaWire / Cixi fire service

This distressing footage shows 91 pigs squealing in agony as they burn to death in the back of a lorry leaving just one survivor while witnesses of the horrific scene appear to laugh.

The fire happened on the Shenyang-Haikou Expressway in the early hours yesterday (6th April) after the lorry transporting 92 pigs crashed and began leaking fuel.

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Authorities in the city of Cixi, in East China’s Zhejiang Province, were dispatched to the site where all but one of the pigs was found squealing in the metal death cage as they burned alive in minutes.

The back of the lorry, which was carrying livestock worth a reported 700,000 RMB (80,500 GBP), was doused in about 20 minutes, but 91 pigs were “roasted alive”, the fire service said.

AsiaWire / Cixi fire service

Rescuers who attended the scene found the single pig alive but injured lying in the road. The animal managed to squeeze its way out of the mangled cage during the fire, rescuers reported.

Video from the motorway shows large flames burning in the back of the lorry as the horrific squeals of trapped pigs can be heard.

At least one of the witnesses watching the distressing scenes can be heard laughing as a trapped hog tries to escape the top of the cage.

Arriving rescuers who put out the petrol fire with foam are left with the lone survivor hog at daybreak, the clip shows.

According to heavy goods vehicle driver Mr Li, each of the 91 pigs was a mature specimen weighing over 150 kilogrammes (330 lbs).

Mr Li said the accident happened when he swerved to avoid a rear-end collision and collided with the crash barrier as he veered to the right.

The lorry scraped along the concrete barrier for more than 165 feet before stopping, with his fuel tank rupturing and the escaping petrol then set ablaze by sparks in the process.

He did not have time to save his pigs and could only watch them burn to death, he told rescuers at the scene.

It was unclear at the time of writing whether Mr Li was the owner of the pigs, or whether he was only paid to transport the animals on behalf of a buyer or seller.

Further investigations are ongoing. It is unclear what became of the only pig to survive the horrific blaze.

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