Horses lead to safety as barn burns at North Weston

FIRECREWS, including some from Thame are still dealing with aftermath of a barn fire at North Weston, just outside Thame, which brought the A418 to a stand-still yesterday because of the smoke, and caused the road to be closed for several hours so that hoses could be laid across the road.

The still smouldering barn at North Weston today

The Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called at 17:21 to the fire at Abbey Farm, North Weston, close to the London Mayor, Boris Johnson’s rural pied-à-terre, after an off-duty Firefighter from Slade Fire Station in Oxford, spotted the smoke. Four fire appliances and a water carrier attended and although the fire is now under control, fire crews are still at the scene damping down the fire which involved hay, farm machinery and plant, as well as 20 tonnes of manure to the rear of the building. One fire crew will remain on the scene overnight.

Station Manager, Marcus Reay, said: ”The owners of the building were very quick in removing a mechanical digger from the barn, evacuating horses and leading them to safety from the nearby stables.”

He added: “Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service have been busy over the past week with countryside fires including other barn fires, a combine harvester and a field fire. The sunny weather over the past few weeks has made the grass and edges of fields very dry so I would ask the public and those who work on farms or in the countryside to take extra care. Of course if you see a fire in the countryside, report it to the Fire and Rescue Service immediately by calling 999. More information is available on our 365alive website.”

Fire Safety in the countryside – follow these tips to reduce the chance of a wildfire in the countryside:

· Extinguish cigarettes properly and don’t throw the cigarette end on the ground never throw cigarette ends out of car windows.

· Avoid using open fires in the countryside or having bonfires near buildings or crops.

· Don’t leave bottles or glass in woodland – sunlight shining through glass can start fires – take them home and or put them in a waste or recycling bin.

· Only use barbecues in a suitable and safe area, never leave them unattended and make sure it is fully extinguished and cold before disposing of the contents

· Don’t attempt to tackle fires that can’t be put out with a bucket of water or an extinguisher – leave the area as quickly as possible.