Lebanon — A fire broke out in one of several large chicken coops at Moark Egg farm, also referred to as Kofkoff Egg Farms, on Tuesday night and crews from across the region arrived with tanker trucks to battle the blaze.

The Lebanon Fire Department was called at 5:41 p.m. about a fire at the farm.

There were no injuries in the blaze, said Joe Danao, public information officer for the incident management team in region 4.

He declined to comment when asked how many chickens had been killed.

Egg farm fires typically can kill tens of thousands of chickens.

Firefighters responded and within minutes called for mutual aid, Danao said in a statement to reporters about 9:30 p.m.

About 150 firefighters, 25 tankers and three task forces were at the scene.

"The fire is approximately 90 percent contained right now so active firefighting operations are continuing at this time," Danao said.

He said he expected firefighters to remain at the farm through the night.

The state fire marshal was assisting the local fire marshal in investigating the blaze.

The farm at 400 Mack Road does not have a nearby hydrant, so tanker after tanker carried water to the scene and dumped it in lined pools to help firefighters.

Enormous clouds of smoke from the fire could be seen from at least 2 miles away.

Christina Campbell, who lives on Mack Road within walking distance of the farm, said her father got home and asked if she'd seen smoke.

"I looked outside and kind of freaked out," she said.

Her father called 911 but someone already had reported the fire, she said.

"The smoke was incredible, it was just pouring out," she said.

Mark Griswold, a lifetime member of the Hebron Fire Department, said the challenge of a farm fire is getting adequate water to it and dealing with any chemicals that might be used.

Tankers and trucks from as far away as North Stonington, Jewett City and Salem arrived to fight the fire. They lined up 10 deep, and water flooded the ditch along the farm and poured across the road.

Neighbors followed the smoke and gathered at the scene while police told them to stay off the road due to tankers continually trucking in water.

Mike Casey, who lives on Mack Road, said, "I've lived on this road 20 years, and it's quiet. This is a lot of action for the town right now."

"It's sad," said Laura Halcott of Hebron, who grew up in Lebanon. "My mom lives on the Lebanon town green and she called and said, 'My God, there's a fire at the chicken coop.'"

"It's hard to see something in your hometown (burn), especially a farm. That's their livelihood," she said. "Not many big farms left."

The facility is one of largest egg farms in New England.

d.straszheim@theday.com