Thurgoland farm blaze Barnsley: Pictures show firefighters in action as 1,000 turkeys saved from burning barn

South Yorkshire firefighters were called to the blaze, in Thurgoland, near Stocksbridge, after flames were spotted at around 6.40am yesterday, and at the height of the inferno, there were five fire engines at the scene. A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said this morning: “Around 1,000 turkeys and 40 cows were in the barn. Thankfully due to the quick actions of the owner and firefighters no animals were injured.”

They said firefighters had worked quickly to contain the fire which was in a workshop within the barn. They added firefighters had prevented it from spreading to the rest of the area. They later added the fire was under control and crews were damping down at the scene. An investigation into the cause of the fire is taking place.

The fire comes as the insurance firm NFU Mutual warns of a rise in the cost of farm fires in their region that covers Sheffield, the North East region. It says farm fires in the North East totalled £15 million in 2021, a rise in cost of 61 per cent. Damage from arson attacks on farms cost £8.4m across the UK last year and initial claims analysis suggests more incidents in 2022

Andy Manson, head of risk management services at NFU Mutual, said: “Farm fires put lives at risk, as well as cause disruptive and devastating damage to farm businesses. Most fires are preventable by carrying out routine maintenance and inspection on heating systems, electrical installations and machinery, and controlling hot works within farm workshops.

“Implementing and maintaining good standards of housekeeping, particularly around the storage of combustibles and flammables such as hay, straw and fuels, will also reduce the risk of a fire spreading.”

NFU Mutual Rural Affairs Specialist Hannah Binns added: “We are very concerned about the rising UK cost of arson attacks, which is a frightening prospect considering farms are not only farmers’ place of work but often their family home. We are urging everyone to be on their guard and improve their security to help prevent their business going up in smoke.”