Michael Fraser drove the combine out before it burned
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
A farmer’s son ran into a burning barn to save a piece of machinery from damage as the walls surrounding it were engulfed in flames.
According to Scotland’s The Press and Journal, Michael Fraser drove a combine out of the burning barn at Culnaha Farm in Easter Ross (about four hours away from Glasgow) as firefighters kept the flames away from the machine.
But about 200 bales of hay and a baler were lost as a result of the fire.
Photo: Sandy McCook
“He just went straight in there,” Michael’s mother, Patricia, told The Press and Journal. I was frightened when he went in but the area around it was well hosed down, although it must have been pretty hot.
Patricia told The Press and Journal she’d been in the kitchen when she could hear metal cracking and flames rising from the barn.
Three fire departments responded to the call, which came in at about 5:25 p.m. Due to the size of the fire, crews asked Scottish Water to increase the water supply in the area to help manage the blaze.
“It was fully ablaze in seconds really,” neighbour John Waring told The Press and Journal. “It was pretty strong and the flames were very high at one stage. I would say about twice as high as the barn itself.”
“I’ve just been shaking all night,” she said. “I just got a big fright when I looked out of the window and went out to see if there was anyone about and came back in and called (911).”
The cause of the fire is unclear and Ms. Fraser estimates the damage is in the thousands of (dollars).