Firefighters rescue 70 calves from farm blaze

FIREFIGHTERS saved 70 calves from a blaze in a farm building in Dumfries and Galloway this morning.
Picture: TSPLPicture: TSPL
Picture: TSPL

Two appliances from Newton Stewart were sent to Kirvennie Farm in Wigtown in response to a 999 call to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) made shortly before 6:25am.

No one was hurt in the fire which is believed to have started when a heat lamp set hay alight.

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Station Manager Joe Shepherd, the incident commander, said: “Our crews arrived to find a fire within a shed around 30 metres by 60 metres in size, which contained 80 calves and around 10 tonnes of hay.

“The initial crews from Newton Stewart were supported by others from Whithorn and Gatehouse as our team worked to bring the fire under control and get the animals to safety.”

He added: “Eight firefighters were committed in breathing apparatus and four high pressure jets were used to contain the fire before it could spread to neighbouring buildings and threaten to ignite around 30 tonnes of fertiliser.

“Thankfully the crews’ efforts successfully prevented the flames from spreading beyond a small section of the shed and also saw most of the cattle removed.”

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