Haybarn, shed destroyed in fire

Firefighters battled in vain to save a burning haybarn near Balclutha yesterday.

Balclutha deputy fire chief Terry Michie said the service was called to the blaze on Coe Rd, near State Highway 1, north of Balclutha about 7.50am.

The large barn, laden with hay, was well alight when they arrived and they could not do much to save it, he said. Firefighters from Milton and two tankers from Balclutha and Mosgiel were called to help bring the fire under control, Mr Michie said.

The fire was some distance from any houses but it was close to an implement shed. The shed was destroyed by fire, he said.

After almost three hours rural firefighters took over at the fire, and left the scene about 1pm.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

Meanwhile, Mossburn firefighters were yesterday recalled to the site of the fire that destroyed about $700,000 in farm machinery and a shed on the Wreys Bush-Mossburn road on Monday.

Mossburn deputy fire chief Lance Hellewell said a crew spent about an hour putting out burning hay that was reignited by a fresh breeze about 1pm.

Fire safety officer Stuart Ide said the cause of that fire had not been identified.

It was difficult to investigate something that was reduced to bare metal but an electrical fault was the most likely cause, he said.

There was no electricity source to the shed, the tractors were isolated and none of the farm workers were smokers, Mr Ide said.

He would be investigating the frequency of fires reported in the brand of tractors used on the farm, he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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