Fire destroys wind turbine in Thorney, near Peterborough

The fire broke out at the turbine on French Drove at around 5:45pm and was attended to by both Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue services.

A crew from Crowland arrived before handing the incident over to a crew from Dogsthorpe. No firefighting action was taken.

Nearby residents were advised to keep their windows and doors closed while the blades and the motor of the turbine were still alight.

The cost of installing a new turbine on the site could cost well over £1m.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be revealed but it is believed to have been an electrical fault. Fire services have described it as “accidental.”

A spokesperson from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “On Sunday, (24) at 5.44pm, one crew from Crowland (Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service) responded to a wind turbine fire on French Drove, Thorney.

“They arrived to find a wind turbine well alight, involving the motor and blades. No firefighting action was taken.

“The incident was handed over firefighters from Dogsthorpe, before being left with the wind turbine company.

“The area was reinspected later in the evening and the following morning.

“The cause of the fire was accidental.”