Yorkshire farm arson sees 360 pigs killed
Library image of firefighters © Medic image Rex Shutterstock A blaze which killed 360 pigs and caused more than £340,000-worth of damage on a Yorkshire farm, was started deliberately, firefighters have said.
Fire broke out at Bridge Farm, in North Frodingham Road, Beeford, between 8pm on Sunday (16 August) and 1.40am on Monday (17 August).
See also: 400 pigs killed in farm shed fire
Humberside Fire and Rescue Service has now said the blaze was started by “a deliberate ignition” in a shed with more than 250t of straw.
The flames then spread through a large barn containing farm machinery and into the pig shed.
More than 30 firefighters using nine vehicles fought the blaze at its height.
But they were unable to save the pigs.
The fire service reported that most of the animals died in the sheds but others had to be destroyed by a vet because of the severity of their burns.
A Humberside Police spokesman estimated that the blaze caused about £340,000 of damage.
The cost of the pigs killed was put at £50,000.
“We believe that unknown people approached the large barn and set fire to a haystack in a shed.
“It then spread to a combine harvester and the pig pen.
“The fire service has given us their expert advice that they believe this was deliberate ignition,” the spokesman told the Bridlington Free Press newspaper.
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting log number 2132680.