Firefighters fought a raging barn fire for nearly five hours after forty tonnes of hay, a tractor and a bulldozer went up in flames at a nearby farm yesterday morning.

The blaze brought the B4598 to a halt as five crews rushed to the scene off King Road, in Penpergwm, near Abergavenny, after South Wales Fire and Rescue received an emergency call at 10:47 am.

Crews from Abergavenny, Usk, Maindy and Blaenavon tackled the fire using four jets and a water ladder, eventually bringing it under control, before leaving the scene around 3.15pm.

A South Wales Fire and Rescue spokesman said members of the fire service will inspect the scene today.

“Crews from Abergavenny, Maindee, Usk and Blaenavon attended a fire involving a barn affecting an area of 15m x 14m which contained approximately 40 tonnes of hay, a tractor and a bulldozer,” said the spokesman.

“Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and main jets fought the fire whilst a tractor and grab was used by the farmer to remove straw from the barn and damp it down in an adjacent field.

“The cause of the fire was determined as accidental due to an electrical fault. Welsh water and Gwent Police were in attendance.”