Fire crews called out after combine harvester catches fire

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Firefighters were called out yesterday when a combine harvester caught fire.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue crews arriving at the scene in Moor Monkton used hose reel jets, breathing apparatus, a thermal imaging camera and small tools to extinguish the blaze.

Advice was given to farmer at the scene and no further action was needed.

Combine harvester fires are not unusual – last August, a combine was totally destroyed by fire near Knaresborough.

They typically catch fire because crop dust and chaff accumulate on very hot engine parts or come into contact with mechanical failures, such as leaking hydraulic fluid, faulty electrical wiring, or overheated bearings.

The risk of combine fire peaks in July and August, when as many as 90% of incidents occur, and is exacerbated by heat-wave temperatures.

Police appeal

Yesterday's incident occurred just days after North Yorkshire Police put out an appeal for witnesses to a crash involving two cars and a combine harvester on the A59 at Kirk Hammerton – just four miles from the site of the Moor Monkton combine harvester fire.

That crash, on Saturday, involved a dark-coloured Mercedes E class, a blue Alpine and the combine, which were all travelling in the direction of York.

Anyone with information about the crash is urged to email TC 1266 Dukes at gary.dukes@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting reference 12660131498.