Deliberate barn fire prompts emergency service response including five fire engines

FIREFIGHTERS from five stations in Somerset rushed to the scene of a barn which was 'well alight' yesterday (Thursday, June 27).

Five fire engines were seen travelling up Southover, in Wells, to the farm on Silver Street at around 5pm, where a barn filled with around 15 tonnes of hay and tyres was on fire.

Smaller, unmarked emergency vehicles were utilised to transport fire crews through a narrow area towards the barn, as the fire engines could not fit through.

Avon and Somerset Police also attended the incident, and it is believed that the fire was started deliberately.

Fire crews from Bridgwater, Street, Cheddar, Shepton Mallet and Wells were all called to the scene.

A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: "The barn was made of corrugated steel and suffered approximately 40 per cent fire damage to the interior.

"The fire was extinguished using five breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet, one covering jet, one thermal imaging camera, drag forks and one spike attack jet.

"Police have now left the scene and the incident has been handed over to the property owner.

"The fire was believed to have been started deliberately."