Three people were flown by medical helicopters to Columbus hospitals with injuries, including severe burns, suffered in a barn fire at a Fayette County hog farm Tuesday afternoon.

Two of the victims with reported burn injuries and suspected smoke inhalation were flown to Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center. A male victim had burns over an estimated 30% to 35% of his body, according to helicopter radio transmissions, and both were covered with mud.

A third victim was flown to Nationwide Children's Hospital. A Fayette County sheriff's office dispatcher said all three victims are adults and were heading to Wexner Medical Center, and the helicopter that landed at Nationwide Children's was probably just using its helipad.

The fire broke out about 3 p.m. at the Straathoff Swine Farm at 7111 Old U.S. 35 Southeast in Fayette County's Wayne Township about 45 miles southwest of Columbus, or about 15 minutes by medical helicopter. It was still burning several hours later, the dispatcher said.

The three victims were construction workers who were rebuilding one of two barns destroyed by a June 2018 fire, according to The Record Herald newspaper in Washington Court House. One building caught fire Tuesday, and an estimated 180 hogs died, the newspaper reported.

About 5,000 pigs died in the 2018 fire, which took 10 fire departments about five hours to get under control.

The cause of Tuesday's fire and other details about it were not immediately available Tuesday night as fire officials were still on the scene after 9 p.m.

Six fire departments from Fayette County (Wayne Township, Washington Court House, Bloomingburg, Pic-A-Fay, Jefferson Township and Concord-Green Township) and others from neighboring counties, including a water tanker and pumper from Greene County, were dispatched to the fire.

"We are saddened to hear about another barn fire at the same pig farm in Fayette County where approximately 5,000 pigs died in confinement almost one year ago," said Gene Baur, president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, a farm animal sanctuary and advocacy organization. "Our hearts go out to the animals and people who were affected by this fire.

"The demand for cheap meat, eggs, and milk fuels a factory farming system that is designed to house as many animals as possible, without regard for their welfare," he said in an emailed statement. Animals exploited for food are treated like production units ... They are commonly caged and confined in warehouses, and unable to flee when fires or other disasters strike."

awidmanneese@dispatch.com

@AlissaWidman