Barn badly damaged in huge hay bale blaze

KINROSS: Firefighters spend more than four hours tackling fire

Firefighters were still on the scene late last night after a blaze tore through a hay-packed barn in Kinross-shire.

Fierce flames shot through the roof of the outbuilding at Cavelston Farm, just outside Kinross, yesterday and destroyed at least a quarter of the roof, with nine fire units on the scene at one point.

They spent more than four hours battling the flames and were still dampening down hot spots last night.

Smoke, which was blowing northeast, could be seen by drivers on the M90 Perth to Inverkeithing motorway, near Milnathort.

The fire started at 12.50pm and concern was raised for public safety because of some neighbouring properties being near the farm, not far from Loch Leven.

Firefighters also had to check outbuildings in case they contained hazardous substances.

Jim and Celine Fernie, of

“We could see the smoke from miles away and wanted to see what had caused the blaze

Gairneybank, drove to the farm road after spotting the swirling smoke in the area. “We could see the smoke from miles away and wanted to see what had caused the blaze,” Mrs Fernie said.

“It looks like bales of hay must have caused this blaze.”

Meanwhile, the daughter of the farmer who owns Cavelston Farm, who wished to remain anonymous, said her father would be “very upset” to hear of the blaze.

“My father isn’t here just now but this will upset him greatly,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said the nine units which attended at one point included fire engines from Fife and two from Perth.

“The fire was caused by hay bales,” she said. “Farm machinery was later used to remove some of the bales from the barn and firefighters are dampening it down.

“The area had been closed off for a while as there was concern there may be hazardous substances at the site but it was established this was not the case.

“A health and safety officer also gave an assessment of the situation.”

She confirmed no one had been hurt. A spokesperson for Police Scotland confirmed officers had attended but added there was “no wider public health risk.”

preoch@thecourier.co.uk

Picture: David Wardle. Firefighters from both Fife and Perth tackle the barn blaze at Cavelston Farm, just outside Kinross. The fire was caused by hay bales.