A seed dryer started an inferno that destroyed a farm shed near Martinborough, with firefighters from across the region rushing to the scene.
Emergency services were alerted to the fire just after 7.30pm on Monday before it was escalated to second alarm leading to crews from Martinborough, Carterton, Featherston, Greytown, and Masterton – including six trucks and two water tankers – responding to the scene.
Martinborough fire chief Jake Hawkins said he believed the shed was being used to dry seeds and store farm implements and that the dryer set some seeds alight before the flames spread to the whole structure.
Hawkins said the shed was well ablaze when the fire crew arrived.
“It burned to the ground; it was a total loss,” he said.
As well as the two water tankers, Hawkins said crews were using the farmer’s swimming pool as a water supply to fight the blaze.
By 9.45pm, the fire was under control, and a digger was being used to pull pieces of hot iron out from the wreckage.
The Martinborough crew stayed at the scene until 1am, and a professional crew stayed overnight.
