Blazing barn saved from destruction

FIREFIGHTERS fought a huge blaze at a 150-year-old wooden barn in St Neots. Crews were called at 9.55am last Wednesday (October 24) to a fire at a barn on farmland just off the A428 near St Neots. When crews arrived at the scene large flames and a cloud

FIREFIGHTERS fought a huge blaze at a 150-year-old wooden barn in St Neots.

Crews were called at 9.55am last Wednesday (October 24) to a fire at a barn on farmland just off the A428 near St Neots.

When crews arrived at the scene large flames and a cloud of thick, black smoke were visible.

Vernon Paine, watch manager at St Neots fire station, said: "The first 30 minutes were critical and firefighters had to work rapidly to stop the fire from taking over the wooden structure.

"The flames had already spread to the roof so we used our thermal imaging camera to try to track the route of the fire, while dousing the flames."

Firefighters then cut sections of the roof of the barn and removed tiles in a bid to stop the fire spreading.

The farmer helped crews by using a JCB to move piles of wood away from the burning building. Firefighters managed to save the majority of the barn with the fire spreading to only a small section.

It is believed the blaze started in a wood burning stove, which had about 100 tonnes of loose wood stacked against it.

Mr Paine added that he hoped the incident would highlight the risk of storing flammable materials near to heaters.