Eight people were evacuated from their homes, three horses killed and a railway line closed following a fire in a range of farm buildings.

Roddy Ashworth

EIGHT people were evacuated from their homes, three horses killed and a railway line closed following a fire in a range of farm buildings last night.

The farm buildings in Rye Mill Lane, Feering covered an area of 50m by 50m and were almost completely destroyed by the flames, which were finally extinguished in the early hours of this morning.

Acetylene cylinders at the site are still being cooled by firefighters who are maintaining an exclusion zone around the property.

Assistant divisional officer Mark Huggins said: “The fire was in a range of farm buildings one of which was the home of the owners.

“These buildings were mostly of timber construction and have been completely destroyed.

“We also evacuated two other homes which are within the exclusion zone.

“Once heated, acetylene cannisters can explode in a fireball for 24 hours.

“When this happens shrapnel can be spread over a 200 metre area and that is why we need to have this exclusion zone in place.”