By Brian Smith and James Williamson

THICK CLOUDS of acrid smoke blanketed large areas of Monifieth last night after a major farm fire on the outskirts of the burgh.

A number of pigs were at risk when fire engulfed a large barn and spread to another at Balhungie Farm, just off the Ardestie Toll slip road.

In less than half an hour flames were licking through several sections of the roof of the first building and smoke was coming from the roof of the second.

The 40 metre by 20 metre barn where the blaze began contained four tractors and a number of propane gas canisters. There were 250 pigs in a similarly-sized adjoining barn.

Eight firefighters wearing breathing apparatus tackled the fire, with one hose trained on the canisters throughout in an attempt to keep them cool and avert an explosion.

Later, station manager Neil McKay said the fire scene remained hazardous and that he was wary of committing crews to the barn.

He said, “We had two jets in the adjoining barn to protect the pigs and to make sure the fire didn’t spread through the roofspace.

“It was difficult because the roof came down and we had to fight from behind cover and make sure we kept the propane canisters damp.”

He could not confirm the cause of the fire but did say the pigs and piglets survived unharmed.

One crew would continue to monitor the barn and damp down overnight, he added.

Fire fighters were hampered from reaching the blaze because of the number of people who flocked to the scene in their cars.

Police had to clear the single-track road to the farm which was blocked for some time. In the confusion cars became stuck at the side of the road and had to be pushed clear before appliances could gain access.

Tayside Fire and Rescue received the call at 8.30pm.

Four appliances and one command support unit were at the farm at the height of the blaze.