Firefighters used around 60,000 litres of water to extinguish a barn fire in Brecon early this morning.
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFR) attended the 100ft barn which was “well alight” in Talachddu at 5.31am today, August 4.
Crews from Brecon, Llandrindod Wells, Hay-on-Wye and Builth Wells all helped to extinguish the blaze, which measured approximately 30 by 10 metres and contained around 150 bales of hay.
A MAWWFR spokesperson said that all the bales were removed from the barn by the farmer using a mechanical grab.
They also said that there was approximately 30 per cent heat and smoke damage to the rear of the barn.
The national grid were also in attendance and isolated the electric supply to barn.
Crews then assisted with damping down and turning over bales.
Six hose Reel Jets were used, along with a water bowser, thermal imaging camera (TIC), personal respirators, ceiling hooks, and pitchforks were used over more than five hours to put the blaze out.
The MAWWFR spokesperson said that Welsh Water was informed of the supply required, and that crews continued to extinguish and dampen down the barn before leaving the incident with the owner to monitor at 10:53am.
Station Manager Richie Vaughan Williams said; “This morning’s incident demonstrates the time and resources required to effectively deal with these types of fires safely and effectively, often requiring the help and expertise of other agencies. This is why we maintain focus on preventing these incidents by working within our rural communities to provide free assessments, guidance, and advice via our Farm Liaison Officers and other partners.
“These services are readily available and we strongly encourage our farming community to contact us should they be unsure about stack testing or any other farm fire safety issues.”