A Staffordshire farmer is warning of fire risks for agricultural machinery after one of his tractors and tedder were engulfed in flames in a matter of minutes on the way home from a job.
The tractor belonging to William Roobottom of Cowley Hill Farm went up in flames in the middle of the road on Thursday (June 10).
Roobottom said the New Holland was returning from tedding grass out when its operator noticed a small fire on the right-hand-side of the cab.
The team member quickly pulled in, but within two minutes the whole machine was up in flames.
Roobottom said: “Metal can be replaced, and luckily everyone is safe and sound.”
He thanked the fire services for their quick call-out, saying they prevented the fire becoming a bigger problem – especially with dry grass and hedgerows surrounding the tractor.
Roobottom, who has thousands of followers across his social media accounts, is using this incident to remind farmers of farm safety during this busy season.
With harvest kicking off, and some farmers cutting second=cut silage despite the droughts experienced in parts of the UK, vehicle maintenance is crucial.
Farmers and contractors must be extremely vigilant with tractors, combines, balers, and any other machinery that can combust.
Machines can catch fire through components such as bearing failure, friction from rubbing components, and electrical shorts.
Components such as radiators and air filters can often get blocked up with grass, crop residues and dust, making the machine overheat and pose a fire risk.
Operators should clean off all dried grass from machines and blow out radiators and filters each day, as well as carrying out routine mechanical checks.
Modern cabs in today’s machinery are generally soundproof and can even isolate operators from smells that can indicate imminent disaster, making it even more important to carry out routine checks.
Farmers are also reminded that it is not just machinery that is at risk, as a whole field of crop can be destroyed if a machine goes up in flames.
In a separate incident, a Gloucestershire farmer recently had three fields burnt out after a bonfire was lit by their neighbours.
Machines should all be fitted with fire extinguishers in a bid to stop or even a prevent a fire from spreading.
