Advertisement

Hay 'spontaneously combusts' in heatwave

Emma Anderson
Emma Anderson - [email protected]
Hay 'spontaneously combusts' in heatwave
A photo of Cantabrian cattle. Photo: Javier Mediavilla Ezquibela / Wikimedia Commons.

The heatwave spreading across Spain and western Europe almost claimed some cattle victims when hay stored inside a barn full of cows spontaneously combusted in the heat.

Advertisement

A barn in the small Cantabrian village of Setién caught on fire after bales of hay inside "spontaneously combusted" due to high temperatures, endangering the cows inside, local newspaper El Diario Montañés reported.

But the owners of the farm were able to corral the cattle safely out of the barn before firefighters arrived to douse the flames.

Regional councillor and town resident Daniel Fernández told El Diario Montañés that all evidence indicated the fire had been caused by the high temperatures.

Spain along with many other parts of western Europe are on alert over a heatwave, with temperatures reaching as high as 44C (111 degrees Fahrenheit).

The Spanish national weather office warned on Monday that the risk of forest fires was "very high" in some places.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also