Probe after barn fire kills 58 cattle near Skipton (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Some animals are led to safety but cause of Carleton blaze 'is not suspicious'

6:23pm Thursday 14th October 2010 in Carleton By Clive White

Firefighters are investigating the cause of a massive blaze which killed 58 cattle and wrecked a huge farm building early today.

The animals were trapped by the flames which whipped through the structure at Lower Biggin Farm, Pale Lane, Carleton, near Skipton.

Another 50 cattle were led to safety by fire crews who had been alerted by a member of the public shortly after 4.30am.

Hundreds of tons of hay and silage were also destroyed as the fire raged throughout the early hours of the morning.

At its height, 40 firefighters battled to bring the blaze under control as it whipped through the huge barn which was divided into three bays.

The structure housed both the cattle and 1,000 bales of silage and 1,000 bales of hay.

Assisting the two crews from Skipton were two crews from Silsden and firefighters from Grassington and Keighley plus an aerial ladder from Harrogate.

Ben Cairns, North Yorkshire Fire Service station manager for the Craven district, said a probe into the outbreak had started.

“But I can say that it is not believed to be suspicious,” he said.

The crews managed to contain the blaze to the three bays of the barn, preventing it spreading to a number of other nearby buildings.

“We will be keeping a watching brief for some time and allowing the fire to burn itself out rather than pouring on tons of water,” said Mr Cairns. “Environmentally, that’s the best way of dealing with burning hay when we have it under control.”

He expected firefighters to be keeping a watching brief throughout the night and into tomorrow.

The owner of the farm, Keith Downes, said he had been advised not to comment during the course of the investigation.