Farmers count the cost as haysheds are destroyed in blaze

THOUSANDS of pounds worth of damage was caused to a Crumlin hayshed last Friday despite a six hour battle by fire crew to bring the huge blaze under control.

The incident was one of two fires just hours apart at haysheds in the area which police are treating as suspicious.

Four fire crews spent six hours tackling the Crumlin incident and also attended the scene days later fearing it would re-ignite.

Around 22,000 worth of damage was caused to the shed which housed 50 huge bales of hay, and old silage machinery which were all destroyed.

Neighbours alerted owner Hugh Park of Poplar Road, who lives just yards away from the hayshed. The fire was discovered around 2.20pm at the cross roads between Poplar Road an Ballytromery Road. His wife quickly rang the emergency services."I was just finishing my lunch and was reading the paper when we were told about it," said Mr Park, who is the fourth generation to live at the Poplar Road Dairy Farm

"I went up to see if there was anything I could do, but it was well lit at that stage. We just had to wait for the fire crews."

Mr Park spoke of the difficulties that the blaze has brought.

The operation was hampered by the collapse of the building and Mr Park and his son had to use a digger to clear the burning material.

"Once they thought it was under control a gust of wind would start it up again," he said.

"On Wednesday the fire brigade were back at the scene putting it out again because it had reignited."

Mr Parks's father bought the hayshed in 1984 along with 50 acres of land. It has been used in recent times for feeding and bedding for the cattle during the winter. "It will all have to be replaced," he said. "Hopefully I will be able to get some more straw - I had just bought it the week before and spent 2,000 on it."

Just a few miles from his farm another derelict shed at the Lurgan Road in Glenavy was also set alight.

"It is hard to know the thinking behind this was," said Mr Park. "I think that it was more malicious than anything else."

The Glenavy hayshed contained 300 bales of hay and straw and was severely damaged in the blaze which began around 5.30pm. Fire Crews were assisted by the farmer with a water tanker and a Halmatro loader as they tackled the blaze for almost seven hours.

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