Environment Agency to probe North Shropshire barn fire

Environment Agency chiefs have been called in to help investigate a major barn blaze near Market Drayton and monitor water run-off pollution control.

Firefighters remained at the farm building today in Sutton Lane, Sutton upon Tern, which is used as a composting facility by Vital Earth Ltd, two days after the blaze broke out.

At its height, crews from Market Drayton, Newport, Wem, Whitchurch and Telford Central, Prees, Hodnet, Ellesmere, Shrewsbury and Tweedale, the incident commander from Shrewsbury and the heavy pumping unit from Prees were all at the scene.

Thick smoke could still be seen billowing from the site yesterday and the road remained closed throughout the day.

Environment Agency spokeswoman Sharon Robinson said: "Environment officers have been on site trying to ensure that contaminated fire water is contained, to prevent pollution of local watercourses.

"We are also liaising with health and environmental agencies about any impacts locally."

The fire broke out shortly before 1.20pm on Wednesday and spread rapidly resulting in the whole building being engulfed in flames.

The building, measuring about 150ft by 80ft, contained about 100 tonnes of waste products.

It follows a fire at the same site on Sunday which involved about 450 tonnes of waste product within a building measuring approximately 70 metres by 30 metres.

Yesterday, Steve Harper, managing director of Vital Earth Ltd, said Sunday's fire was due to smouldering compost and was quickly put out, but the latest fire was under investigation.