Huge fire destroys over 1,000 bales of straw on a farm near Harborough - and arson is not being ruled out

Over 15 firefighters from Market Harborough, Kibworth and Wigston tackled the blaze last night (Sunday)
A fire has ripped through a barn packed with straw in an outlying field on Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road, West Langton.A fire has ripped through a barn packed with straw in an outlying field on Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road, West Langton.
A fire has ripped through a barn packed with straw in an outlying field on Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road, West Langton.

Arson has not been ruled out after a devastating fire destroyed over 1,000 bales of straw on a farm near Market Harborough overnight.

An urgent investigation is being launched after the blaze ripped through a barn packed with straw in an outlying field on Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road, West Langton.

Over 15 firefighters from Market Harborough, Kibworth and Wigston raced to tackle the fire just before 8.30pm last night after several people raised the alarm.

A fire has ripped through a barn packed with straw in an outlying field on Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road, West Langton.A fire has ripped through a barn packed with straw in an outlying field on Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road, West Langton.
A fire has ripped through a barn packed with straw in an outlying field on Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road, West Langton.

A tactical response vehicle from Market Harborough also attended along with police after the alarm was raised by shocked eye-witnesses.

A fire crew from the town’s Fairfield Road station is set to be at the scene all day today damping down as the massive stack of burning straw continues to smoulder.

A senior specialist fire investigator has also been deployed from Leicester as the fire service strives to establish how the incident started.

Farmer Patricia Walker, 66, told the Harborough Mail as she supported firefighters at the site today: “The fire has come as a big shock – I didn’t sleep very well last night.

A fire has ripped through a barn packed with straw in an outlying field on Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road, West Langton.A fire has ripped through a barn packed with straw in an outlying field on Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road, West Langton.
A fire has ripped through a barn packed with straw in an outlying field on Langton Hall Farm on West Langton Road, West Langton.

“This is the only the third time that we’ve had a fire like this here at Langton Hall Farm in 20-30 years so it is a real blow.”

She added: “We had over 1,000 bales of straw in that barn.

“It really did burn last night, the flames just took off, and it’s still going well this morning.

“I’m just trying to help the fire crews drag out the bales because you can’t just put burning straw out with water.

“We’ve got to get it out into the open.”

Patricia said a neighbour rang her to alert her last night while a farmer working late in his fields nearby also spotted smoke billowing out of the blazing barn.

“The barn is on land further down West Langton Road, between West Langton and the A6.

“The fire was already blazing well out of control by the time the firefighters got there.

“And they were also struggling for water,” said Patricia, whose husband John Walker died seven years ago.

“They had to keep taking their appliances to West Langton Hall for water to fight the fire because that’s where the nearest hydrant is.

“It was a terrible sight to see all the straw going up in flames.

“We’d have used it for bedding this winter for our cattle.

“We have still got some straw at the farm but otherwise we’ll be forced to buy it in.”

Patricia, who said the 300-acre livestock farm has been in her late husband’s family for 85 years since 1935, said fire crews were at the burning barn all night.

“They have worked ever so hard and done a tremendous job fighting it.

“We have no idea yet what caused the fire,” she said.

“I just turned 66 last Monday to officially become a pensioner and it’s still hard to believe this has happened.

“At the moment we are keeping an open mind as to how it broke out, let’s just say that.”

Patricia, who has lived at Langton Hall Farm herself for 28 years, said she usually keeps between 40 and 60 cattle and about 200 sheep.

She fears the bill for the straw destroyed and seriously-damaged burn will run into thousands of pounds.

“We are insured so that’s something.

“I have got a business partner and I do have help as well as some fantastic neighbours so we’ll just get on with it and we’ll cope,” insisted Patricia, who still works tirelessly day in day out running the sprawling farm.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said three crews used two hose reel jets to battle the fire.

“We still have firefighters from Market Harborough there at the moment dealing with it.

“They could be there most of the day,” said a fire control spokeswoman.

“We also have a fire investigator going out from Leicester to launch an investigation into what caused this fire.”

A Leicestershire Police spokesman said: “Shortly after 8.40pm yesterday (Sunday 13 September) officers driving along the A6 noticed a large fire at a barn in West Langton.

“The officers contacted Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, who attended the incident.”

He said the blaze is now at the centre of an investigation.

“Enquiries to establish how the fire started are ongoing,” said the police spokesman.