Published: Friday, 11th January, 2008 09:30
'Blizzard blaze' is fifth major farm fire in three months
Print Article
SECURITY on county farms is to be tightened ahead of this autumn’s harvest, following a suspected arson attack which destroyed more than 500 tons of baled straw.
Firefighters battled blizzard-like conditions to bring the blaze under control.
Last Thursday’s blaze was the second to strike Penston Farm, by Macmerry, in two months and the fifth major fire suffered by East Lothian’s agricultural sector since the end of last September.
Three of these farms are located within several miles of each other in the Macmerry area, raising fears that they could be the work of a serial fire-raiser.
Firefighters battled blizzard-like conditions to bring the blaze under control.
Police have yet to establish if they are linked, but East Lothian’s fire chief has called on farmers and the public to be vigilant.
Deliberately started
Robert Taylor, area group manager for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The indications are that this fire was deliberately started.
“We are treating it as a another case of malicious fire-starting.
“We have tackled fires on local farms in the past, but this recent series of incidents beggars belief, because of the comparative remoteness of the locations from local communities.
“You really would have to go out of your way to cause a fire here.”
Mr Taylor plans to meet farmers and police representatives to formulate a new security initiative to combat a potential threat to lives and livelihood.
“We need to minimise the chances of this type of incident occurring,” he added.
“In the meantime, I would urge everyone to be vigilant around local farms and report any suspicious activity to the police.”
A passer-by spotted flames coming from three stacks, containing 700 tons of baled hay, in a field close to the B6363 Gladsmuir to Pencaitland road shortly after 6am last Thursday. He alerted farmer Duncan Orr, who brought a mechanical digger to the site to aid firemen in breaking up the burning piles.
Fire crews from Tranent, Musselburgh and Haddington spent 10 hours in trying to extinguish the inferno.
They managed to salvage a large part of the middle stack, which had not ignited. Despite the blizzard conditions, the flames and smoke could be seen from as far away as Humbie and Gifford.
“We estimate the fire started several hours before the alarm was raised, probably around 1am,” said Mr Taylor. “These type of incidents are potentially fatal, as well as being a huge drain on resources.”
Firebugs had previously struck at Penston Farm on November 1, when 100 tons of baled straw stored in a field was lost.
Mr Orr’s family has owned the 500-acre mixed use dairy, beef, sheep and cereal farm for 40 years.
Targeted
His son, Duncan Orr jnr, 25, said: “It is extremely disappointing.
“This is the second time this has happened to us in recent months, and I have no idea why we should be targeted. It doesn’t make sense.
“Whoever started this blaze seemed to know what they were doing, as it was lit at opposite ends of the stacks.
“We had planned to use the straw for bedding for our cattle, so it is a setback. But we think we will be able to cope.”
Kelvin Pate, vice-chairman of the East Lothian branch of the National Farmers’ Union Scotland, said: “The NFU is very concerned about this latest incident.
“It could be the same person or group of people who are causing these fires.
“There have been incidents of fire-raising in previous years, and it is pretty common for individual bales to have a match put to them during the summer and autumn.
“But this is a new and much more serious development, when we have lots of big stacks and farm steadings going up in flames.”
He added: “There is potential threat to lives and to livestock. Speaking as a father of three boys, it is especially concerning, as all kids who grow up on farms love to play in hay bales.
“At this time of year, replacing large quantities of straw can be a costly and difficult problem to solve.
“Straw is very combustible, especially when it is in a stack, as the stuff in the middle will be tinderbox dry.
“You could lay the straw out in individual bales, but it would all be lost to bad weather; farmers have little choice here.”
Under the spotlight
The spate of farm fires was due to be discussed at last night’s (Thursday’s) East Lothian NFU branch AGM at the Maitlandfield House Hotel, Haddington.
Five hundred tons of baled straw and three farm buildings were destroyed at a fire at West Adniston, near Macmerry, on September 29.
While on October 5, some 200 tons of straw were set alight at Blackcastle Farm, Innerwick. The cost to the owners was put at £10,000.
The following day, three barns were gutted and 150 tons of baled straw were destroyed when fire broke out at Wintonhill Farm, Pencaitland.
A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: “We are treating these as individual cases. At this stage we cannot say if they are linked.”
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
Further Details
Mother/son in ASBO double