Gardaí probe suspicious fire

ONE calf was burned alive and another had to be put down after a suspected arson attack on a Cork farm early yesterday.

Garda forensic experts began sifting through the charred remains of sheds at the dairy farm at Sarsfield Court in Glanmire, north of the city, as a major investigation into the cause of the blaze got underway. Gardaí in Glanmire are treating the fire as suspicious.

The farmer, who asked not to be named, spoke last night of his family’s frantic efforts to save the Angus calves from the burning shed and of his horror at seeing one four-week-old calf burn to death.

“I’ve been 20 years farming in this area and I’ve never seen anything like this happening. I’m totally shocked,” he said.

A member of the family discovered two fires close to their farmhouse at about 12.45am yesterday.

One was burning under a trailer full of fertiliser in a garage near the house.

The other fire was burning in a nearby shed where nine calves were being kept in pens and where 25 bales of hay were in storage.

The farmer jumped out of bed and put out the garage fire with a power hose from his milking parlour.

He called the fire brigade to deal with the other larger blaze. Three units from Cork city and Midleton responded.

While they waited, the farmer, his wife and their daughter braved the flames and ran into the shed.

“There was a fierce backdraft,” he said. “The fire was burning outwards, against the sheeting of the shed. We had to tear down the pens to get the cattle out.”

The family managed to rescue eight cattle from the burning shed, though one had to be put down.

The farmer said the shed appeared to have been doused in petrol.

The farmer’s wife and daughter were treated for smoke inhalation.

The scene was sealed off yesterday, pending a full technical examination.