Fire crews tackle huge barn fire near Inverness

Thirty firefighters have tackled a huge barn fire at a farm near Inverness.

Fire crews spent several hours putting out the large barn blaze amid fears the fire could ignite gas cylinders.

The fire at Redhill Farm, Arturlie, just outside Inverness, broke out on Monday afternoon (22 September).

Flames swept through a 50x30m barn, which contained hay bales, straw and assorted farm machinery. Paramedics treated two farmworkers for smoke inhalation and the building was gutted.

Three fire engines from Inverness were sent to the scene along with the water carrier.

Firefighters worked overnight Monday and they were still carrying out damping down operations at the farm on Tuesday (23 September). The cause of the fire is under investigation.

John MacDonald, group manager of Scottish Fire and Rescue, was at the scene.

He said: “When crews arrived there was a well-developed fire involving about 3,500 bales of hay and straw. There were also various types of farm machinery inside.

“The priority for crews was to secure a reliable water supply, as it was evident a large amount of water would be required to extinguish this fire.

“Firefighters located a pond nearby and set portable pumps into the water. They were then able to run lines of hose to supply the appliances on the fire ground.

“Crews used two main jets to tackle the fire. They were assisted by farm personnel, who used farm machinery to spread the hay and straw out, making it easier for crews to dampen down the area and target hotspots.

“The operation continued throughout the night and crews are still at the scene damping down. They are likely to remain there for much of the day today.”

He added: “Firefighters showed great determination and commitment during what was a protracted incident. We would also like to thank the police and Scottish Ambulance Service for their support and farm personnel for their assistance.”

In a separate incident, 10 firefighters from Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire at a farm in Arbuthnott, Aberdeenshire, in the early hours of Tuesday (23 September).

Crews used breathing apparatus and jets to tackle the fire, which involved a large amount of wooden pellets, located within a farm building.

Pictures courtesy of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

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