Approximately 450 pigs have died as result of a fire that broke out on a farm in Co. Tyrone last night (Sunday, November 9).
Firefighters from the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) received a call at 10:44p.m on Sunday night regarding a farm shed that caught ablaze on Fyfin Road outside Newtownstewart in Co. Tyrone.
NIFRS stated that “the cause of the fire is believed to have been accidental ignition” at this stage.
Emergency services
Fire appliances from surrounding areas such as Newtownstewart, Castlederg, Fintona, Strabane and Kilrea reported to the scene.
Additional help came from a command support unit from Kilrea, a specialist support vehicle from Omagh and a water tanker from Pomeroy, while aerial support from Northland Fire Station in Co. Dublin also assisted in stopping the fire.
NIFRS explained that “firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used two hose reels jets to bring the fire under control and to stop it from spreading.”
Emergency services spent roughly four hours battling the fire before it was dealt with at 2:58a.m in the early hours of this morning (Monday, November 10).
Precautions
Separately, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) released a statement earlier this year, advising farmers on how they can minimise the risk of fire on their farms.
Flammable substances such as fuel stores; fertilisers; hay and straw bales; and chemicals should be stored away from any areas that can be publicly accessed, as they are commonly targeted for arson, according to NFU.
NFU also advised farmers to keep flammable substances and sources of ignition in separate storage units, and at least 10m away from livestock.
It recommended that regular inspections of electrical systems and equipment should be carried out to ensure they do not pose a fire risk, and replacements or repairs of faulty equipment should be done accordingly.
Additionally, NFU reminded farmers that it is a legal requirement for all farms to have a fire emergency procedure plan in place.
The plan should include “details of the responsible person(s) on the farm, muster points, evacuation routes for people and livestock, locations of flammable substances and potential sources of ignition, and locations of fire extinguishers and water sources.”
