Flashback to the time a pig pooped a pedometer and started a sty fire

If this story hadn’t been reported by so many different sources, we’d have presumed it was Exhibit A in a case involving outrageously fake news. It’s not, though, because it’s true – a pig crapped out a pedometer it had chewed from a sty-mate, which then started a fire.

Here’s how the BBC shared the news, back in 2020.

Pedometer-eating pig's poo starts farm fire https://t.co/NNc4b0Mzha

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) March 8, 2020

And this is how the North Yorkshire Fire Service reported the incident.

13:37 Should be an oink not a tweet. Tadcaster and Knaresbororough firecrews attended a fire to 4 pigpens near Bramham. No pigs harmed. Cause of fire attributed to a battery powered pedometer carried by one of the pigs (to prove it was free-range), which was eaten by the other1/2

— North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (@NorthYorksFire) March 7, 2020

2/2 …pigs. After nature had taken its course, it's believed that the copper from the batteries reacted with the pigpens contents and in conjunction with dry bedding, ignited burning approx. 75sqm of hay. A hosereel was used to extinguish the fire and save the bacon.

— North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (@NorthYorksFire) March 7, 2020

There may have been no pigs harmed, but minds were blown.

1.

Best. Headline. Ever. https://t.co/dq2peBhRHk

— Debbie Skeet (@molpole) March 8, 2020

2.

Uhhh….I……what? https://t.co/C9Sih439t3

— Zoe Butcher (@thezoverlord) March 8, 2020

3.

Peter Piper Picked a https://t.co/dhSUj7QfZ2

— Hannah O'Hanrahahanrahan (@buntyhoven) March 8, 2020

4.

Someone tell Billy Joel quick! https://t.co/HAqxQSWxNh

— Stu. (@dysondoc) March 8, 2020

5.

I guess the phrase 'explosive diarrhea' in the title didn't make it through editing… https://t.co/Ts5jq7dq5h

— Tiffani (@DiggaloTiff) March 8, 2020

6.

There are words here, and English ones at that, but I'm having trouble understanding them… https://t.co/VZ1WUM2y8z

— Charlie Summers (@CFSummers) March 11, 2020

7.

Fortunately police arrested the culprit. pic.twitter.com/rQJNN2vvx8

— Riobux (@Riobux) March 8, 2020

While the internet had a good laugh, spare a thought for the brave and unfortunate firefighters who drew the short straw …and the burnt straw …and the sh***y straw.

Colleagues: "Have a good weekend?"
Firefighter who had to clear this up: "…….." https://t.co/RzlktRr5et

— Lord Fluff (@LordFluffon) March 8, 2020

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Nothing to see here – just Sam Neill doing yoga with his pig

Source BBC Image @russjenks999, Pexels