TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Lighting from a thunderstorm in Hsinchu County’s Baoshan Township on Sunday (March 31) night caused a fire in a pigeon loft that killed 38 racing pigeons.  

The owner of the pigeons, Baoshan Township Mayor Chiu Chen-Wei (邱振瑋), said he heard a loud noise amidst heavy rain, which he later attributed to a lightning strike. He believes the lightning caused a wire to catch fire in the pigeon loft, per CNA.

The Hsinchu County Fire Department sent firefighters to the scene at 9:43 a.m., who deployed two water lines to extinguish the fire.

Thirty square meters were burned, and the initial property damage was estimated to be about NT$1 million (US$32,183). Chiu said losing his racing pigeons was an immeasurable loss, adding that he had been training them for an upcoming competition in April.