Fire crews work together to battle a barn fire at Cressy yesterday. The fire was started by sparks from a tractor operating near the haystack. Picture: NEIL RICHARDSON
FOUR fire crews were called to extinguish a large barn fire at Cressy yesterday afternoon.
The blaze was first reported about 1pm and when Cressy, Bishopsbourne, Longford and Perth crews arrived to the Green Rises Road property, a barn containing 100 large hay bales was well alight.
Cressy Brigade second officer Chris Cashion said the fire started when the land owner started a tractor near the haystack.
"Sparks caused some dry grass to catch alight," he said.
"We contained it fairly well, but it was difficult to separate the bales and extinguish as it was all compacted.
"It is very difficult to extinguish because when it smoulders you think you have got it out and then half hour later they will start flaring up again.
"We had to use a couple of farmers' tractors and folks on tractors to actually pull the bales out and buff them up so we could dampen them down."
Fire crews had to contend with high voltage Transend wires and worked until 5.30pm to make sure the fire was fully out.
The barn was destroyed.