Farm fire rages on into second day
A weekend blaze at a Northumberland farm was yesterday still going after burning through the night.
A barn at Whinney Hill Farm, near Choppington and Guide Post, caught alight around 6.15pm on Sunday, according to witnesses who watched in horror as animals fled the devastating fire.
Around 40,000 cubic metres of straw bales and approximately 10 tonnes of ammonium fertilizer were destroyed, according to Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, in the inferno, which spread to three more nearby barns.
Witnesses saw horses escaping the barn and fleeing the blaze as it took hold.
Five fire engines and around 22 firefighters were dealing with the fire at the height of the blaze, and the fire was still being tackled yesterday morning.
Footage from the farm shows the fire is still going inside one of the barns, which has been left completely gutted.
The community has rallied around the farmers in the wake of the devastating blaze and an online fundraising page has been set up.
The GoFundMe page aims to raise £2,000 for the Burkinshaws to help rebuild their farm.
Faye Scantlebury who set up the page said: “They are a local family that will go out of their way to help others but now it’s our turn to help them. Let’s see the community pull together in such a horrible situation.”
Katie Biggs had been visiting her sister nearby when she spotted an “orange glow” in the distance.
As she got closer, she saw a farm building was on fire.
Katie said: “When I arrived the fire service hadn’t got there yet, but they arrived pretty quickly. The farmer The fire service are still tackling a blaze in a barn at Whinney Hall Farm
came rushing over just after I got there.
“The worst part was we could hear the animals on the farm – it sounded like horses and they sounded like they were screaming. People were rushing forward to help.
“We all held our breath, but after about five minutes we saw horses coming round the side of the barn – they looked like Shetland ponies and it looked like they all got away.
“People were saying the barn was full of cows. I don’t know if they got out but I really hope they did.
“It didn’t look like there were any people nearby – our main concern was for the animals.”
A spokesperson for Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service said they had been called to the farm at 6.15pm.
She added: “The fire involved a barn that is approximately 40x by 40m, and three adjacent barns, that are well alight.
“Around 40,000 cubic metres of bales of straw and 10 tonnes of ammonium fertilizer have been destroyed.”
Crews used two jets and two hose reels to contain the fire and try to prevent it from spreading to adjacent buildings. A spokesperson for the North East Ambulance Service confirmed it had been made aware of the fire, but the hazardous area response team sent to the area had been stood down after it had become clear no one had been hurt.
Katie said the devastation was “terrible”.
She said: “Coming just before Christmas, it’s a family business and it’s just absolutely awful for them.” All of the farm’s animals were reported safe yesterday.
Coming just before Christmas, it’s a family business and it’s just absolutely awful for them.