| Station Manager Neil McKay asked them to reflect on their actions after firefighters were hampered from reaching last night’s blaze at Balhungie Farm, just off the Ardestic Toll slip road, for over 10 minutes.
Farmer David Porter —whose family has owned the farm since 1966 — today said the cost of the damage could run to over £300,000.
Mr Porter said he was in Dundee when he heard about the blaze.
To reach it he had to drive through a field because the farm track was blocked by cars.
Police had to clear the single track road, which was blocked for some time. In the confusion, cars became stuck and had to be pushed clear before appliances could gain access.
“The large plumes of smoke attracted people like a moth to a flame,” said Mr McKay.
“A considerable number of people then decided to leave the main road and come down to the farm track to see what was happening.
“Due to their lack of forethought — or, in some cases, inconsideration — their compulsion to get nearer to the smoke blocked at least two fire appliances for more than 10 minutes.
“I would urge these people to reflect on their actions.
“Would they want to be a contributory factor to potential further damage or loss?”
Mr McKay said it may take days to determine the cause of the blaze, which left large areas of Monifieth under smoke.
He said, “We have been discussing it with the police but we’re unable to determine the cause at this stage due to the extent of the damage.
“An investigation will be conducted to try to establish the cause.”
Firefighters left the farm around 7.30 am today after working through the night to damp down the hazardous fire scene.
At the height of the fire a large pall of smoke was clearly visible from as far afield as Dundee and strong winds drove the heavy black smoke across fields towards Ashludie and Monifieth.
Mr Porter estimated the damage to be around £300,000 but was glad 250 pigs in an adjoining barn were unharmed.
Mr Porter said berry picking would start tomorrow despite last night’s fire and he would now have to figure out how to replace essential equipment that went up in smoke.
He also hit out at the people who turned up to watch his family’s barn virtually destroyed.
He said, “I don’t get it – wasn’t there anything on TV they could watch?
“It’s a bit sick.
“The vehicles that caught fire were worth £100,000 and as well as the damage to the building we’ve lost things like cold store units, packaging trays, punnets and trailers.
“Hopefully the insurance will cover the losses but we’ll have to wait and see.
“It’s bad luck but we did also have some good luck.
“The prevailing wind is usually the west but last night it was the east and that’s what stopped the fire spreading to the pigs and piglets.
“We’re upset but the most important things are the pigs.”
As firefighters tackled the blaze, one hose was trained on propane gas canisters, which were in the barn, in an attempt to keep them cool.
The barn also contained four tractors. |
