Probe starts into six hour barn fire

An investigation was under way today into the cause of a barn fire on the south Shropshire border, which started in the early hours of yesterday.

A number of firefighters spent nearly six hours tackling the blaze near Tenbury Wells.

The fire at Kyre Pool Lane at Kyre involved various pieces of farm machinery and bales.

No-one was injured during the incident, fire officers confirmed.

Two crews from Tenbury used hose reels, a main jet and hay forks to bring the fire under control.

The water carrier from Bewdley also attended.

David James, watch manager for Tenbury, said the owners had kept up to a dozen horses in the barn but fortunately they had been turned out a few days prior to the incident.

An investigation was now under way to find out what triggered the blaze which happened at 3.20am, Mr James said"It is too early to say what caused it. We are keeping a watching brief," he said.

He added: "Once we arrived we ran out the equipment and got water on to the barn.

"We started trying to save the barn but not the straw, which was already destroyed.

"It was a matter of containing the fire then.

"No-one was injured. There were no animals in the barn at the time. There were probably about a dozen horses (that were kept in there) that were turned out a few days prior to the event. They were very lucky."

At least half the barn was alight by the time crews arrived, said Emma Roberts for Hereford and Worcester Fire Service.

She added that firefighters returned to the incident later in the day to reinspect the barn. A crew from Bromyard also attended the incident.