Barn ‘completely destroyed’ during blaze in Camber, near Rye

A barn in Camber, containing 50 tonnes of hay, has been completely destroyed by a fire.
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The structure, in Lydd Road, Camber, was set on fire at approximately 1.15am on Monday (February 24).

Tony Pierce, who owns the barn, said East Sussex Fire was first notified after smoke was spotted by the security guards at Pontins Holiday Park.

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He received a call at 2.30am and, on arriving at the scene, found his barn and 50 tonnes of hay had been completely destroyed.

Picture: Tony PiercePicture: Tony Pierce
Picture: Tony Pierce

Mr Pierce said the hay had been grown in the field next door and was being stored for his sheep ahead of the lambing season.

He said: “The fire has completely destroyed the barn. It is a big barn but the fire has gone right up through the roof.

“We’re just months away from lambing season so it’s the most important time of the year to make sure the sheep are fed.”

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Mr Pierce said the barn has never been targeted in the 50 years it has been located there.

Picture: Tony PiercePicture: Tony Pierce
Picture: Tony Pierce

He said he reported the incident to police, who told him unless there was clear CCTV footage of the fire being started there was nothing they could do.

Mr Pierce added: “I posted about the incident on a Facebook page and three other farmers in the UK told me about something similar happening to them.

People need to be aware of the inconvenience it causes. It’s serious stuff. It’s not just one person’s livelihood but so much more than that.”

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A spokesman for East Sussex Fire said two crews were sent to Lydd Road, Camber, at 1.16am on Monday.

They added: “Firefighters used one hose reel jet to tackle the fire and spent time damping down the surrounding buildings.”

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