FIREFIGHTERS had to dismantle part of a building to rescue 70 bullocks at a blaze in Winkleigh on Monday morning. The animals, trapped in the building at Manley Farm on the Seckington Industrial Estate, were rescued safely. Crews from Hatherleigh, Okehampton and North Tawton were joined by firefighters from Barnstaple, Ilfracombe, Chulmleigh, Torrington, Witheridge and South Molton to deal with the serious fire. By the time the crews arrived, the fire had spread to a range of single-storey farm buildings and was being fuelled by the contents of two large oil tanks. Fire officers had to remove panels from one building to rescue the bullocks. The fire was extinguished by using jets of both foam and water, but by then a third of the farm buildings and 80% of their contents had been seriously damaged. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. The Winkleigh blaze was among a rash of calls for firefighters last week. On both Thursday and Friday evenings, fire officers from Chagford were called to Meldon Hill to deal with moorland fires. On Thursday, they used beaters to extinguish a 50 square metre area of grassland which was alight. The following day, they were called again to Meldon Hill to fight two fires — each 30 square metres in size which were moving towards a small wooded area close to Buda Farm. By the time the crews had created a fire-break, the fire's front was 100 metres long. Kevin Coombe, of Chagford fire service, said: 'The fire burned right up to the farm's hedgerow. They were very worried, especially because they had horses on the farm, which were frightened by the fire.' The wind then changed direction, taking the blaze with it. The fire crews stayed to monitor it until it had died down, having reached two tracks which acted as firebreaks. On Saturday evening, the Chagford crew were called to a third moorland fire, this time near Watern Tor. That fire was assessed as not posing any danger, and was left to burn out. Kevin Coombe said all the fires are being treated as malicious, since it is now past March, and no burning is allowed on the moor. 'With the dry weather that we're having at the moment, it's really important that the public takes extra care with matches and cigarettes,' he said. Fire engines from Hatherleigh and Okehampton were also called out on Saturday, to deal with a fire in two large bales of hay at Upcott Deer Farm near Hatherleigh. By the time fire crews arrived, a quantity of wood was also alight. The fire officers quickly succeeded in extinguishing the blaze, but around 20% of the building and 60% of its contents were severely damaged.
