Six horses led to safety as Essex fire crews tackle barn inferno

170223 ANGLIA Little Totham horse fire
Essex crews were confronted with a fierce fire when they arrived Credit: Essex Fire and Rescue

Six horses were led to safety after a fire tore through a barn next to their stables last night.

Fire crews said the half the barn in Little Totham near Maldon, Essex, was burning fiercely when they arrived.

The flames were consuming 50 tonnes of straw bales inside the barn which was also used to store agricultural machinery.

An Essex Fire spokesman said: "The fire was surrounded by 8.45pm. Crews managed to prevent it spreading to a nearby stable building.

"Six horses, which were in the stable at the time, were led to safety and unharmed."

The burning straw meant crews were at the scene until 10.30pm before the blaze was under control, when the incident was scaled back.

The barn at Little Totham near Maldon was well alight when fire crews arrived Credit: Essex Fire

Two crews remained to manage a controlled burning of the material inside the barn throughout the early hours of Friday morning.

Essex Fire and Rescue said it thinks the fire was caused accidentally.

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