Feed manufacturer loses 300t of straw in field blaze

An investigation has been launched after 600 freshly made large straw bales stacked in a Northamptonshire field were destroyed in a blaze on Tuesday (31 August).

The straw, weighing about 300t, was owned by livestock fibre feed manufacturer Sundown Products and had been due to be moved from its location next to the A14 at Thrapston.

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service dealt with the fire and an investigation into its cause is now under way.

See also: How to protect your farm from fire risk and stay legal

The stack, which was insured, was in a highly visible location and close to public footpaths.

David Cubitt, director at Sundown Products, said the fire had been upsetting and frustrating for the baling team. 

“We are grateful that nobody was hurt and extend our thanks to those that reported the fire and the Thrapston, Kettering and Rushden fire crews that worked quickly to extinguish it and prevent the fire from spreading,” said Mr Cubitt.

The company has reassured customers that supplies of its Nutritionally Improved Straw (NIS) feed product and poultry bedding are unaffected.

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The stack of 600 bales represents about one and a half to two days’ worth of production at Sundown’s manufacturing facility, which produces NIS for ruminant livestock producers, as well as bedding products for the poultry and equine sectors. 

“Although it looked like a large stack, it was quite a small amount of bales for our production facility,” said Mr Cubitt.

“Our customers can be reassured that supplies of NIS are unaffected. We are still taking orders for winter feed, and poultry bedding deliveries are continuing as normal.”

Stacking risk

The spotlight has recently been thrown on the possible fire risk from stacking large, rectangular bales before they have been allowed to sweat.

Two barns containing 150t of straw caught fire at Green Hammerton, Yorkshire, on 29 August, and another stack, believed to have contained 30t of straw, was destroyed in a blaze at Poulton Hill, Marlborough, last week.