TIDENHAM farmer Robert Adams was counting the cost of a

£200,000 blaze which gutted a barn and wrecked two forklift

trucks and 4X4 vehicles.

Fire crews from four stations in the Forest and Wales

battled exploding gas bottles as the fire threatened to spread

to other buildings at Bishton Farm. Six fire engines and two

water bowsers were used.

Eye-witness Steve Pearson whose house overlooks the farm

said he had first noticed the fire at about 8am.

“There was a cloud of thick black smoke and you could hear a

number of loud bangs,” he said. “The first fire engine to

arrive came from Chepstow at about 8.30am.”

Police closed Bishton Lane as thick smoke, that could be

seen more than five miles away, rose in to the air.

Station manager John French said: “There were lots of

flames, smoke and explosions, the fire was going well when the

first crews turned up.”

John praised the first firefighters on the scene for

preventing the fire spreading.

“The initial crews did a great job to stop it. We have been

able to protect the other buildings including a wooden stable

block which is only a few metres from the fire,” he said.

No one was injured in the blaze which was still going more

than three hours after the first crews arrived.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown but an

investigation is under way.

The 30m by 60m barn which had a wooden structure with an

asbestos roof was completely destroyed by the fire.

A forklift truck with propane gas cylinders was the only

thing in the barn at the time of the fire but a number of 4x4

vehicles due to be scrapped were also destroyed.

The farm is the base of the Freelander Breaker company which

breaks and sells parts from Landrovers and other 4x4

vehicles.

Freelander Breaker is owned by John Daunter who declined to

comment on the fire.