Police hunt arsonists after pigs die in blaze

More than 30 firefighters in nine appliances attended the blaze at Bridge Farm, North Frodingham Road, which broke out shortly after 1am on Monday morning.

“We called in a vet because some of the pigs were so badly burned they needed to be euthanised,” said a spokesman for Humberside Fire and Rescue Service.

He said the rest of the pigs had already died in the blaze, which involved around 250 tonnes of bailed straw and is one of the largest fires attended by Humberside firefighters this year.

Police say the blaze caused damage valued at around £360,000, including the loss farm buildings valued at £200,000 and agricultural equipment valued at £80,000. The lost livestock was valued at £50,000.

A police spokesperson said: “We believe that unknown people approached the large barn and set fire to a haystack in a shed. It then spread to a combine harvester and the pig pen. The fire service has given us their expert advice that they believe this was deliberate ignition.”

Owner of the farm Wilf Norman said it was a terrible tragedy.

He said the pigs were “bed and breakfast” pigs which were owned by someone else, but were at the farm being fattened up.

He said: “They were all going to die anyway but not like this.”

The final fire crew didn’t leave the scene until more than 14 hours after the blaze started.

Crews in attendance included two from Driffield, three from Bridlington and three from Calvert Lane in Hull.

Police say they have recently investigated other crimes at the same farm, including theft of a dog and property.

The fire is believed to have been started at some time between 8pm on August 16 and 1.43am on August 17.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 
101 quoting log number 2132680.