Fire Service and Southern Rural Fire Authority firefighters dampen down the remains of a large farm shed destroyed by fire at Otatara, just east of Invercargill, yesterday afternoon.
The firefighters also demolished the charred remains of the structure.
The owner of the market garden property lost a truck, a tractor and other farm equipment and was ''understandably very upset'', Acting Invercargill Senior Station Officer Dean Chalmers said. No-one was in the shed when the fire broke out about 4.40pm, he said.
''The fire was seen by neighbours who did a good job of alerting us quickly.''
The shed, about 300m from the nearest road, was surrounded on two sides by native bush, but Mr Chalmers said prompt action stopped the flames from spreading.
Because Otatara has no reticulated water system, two rural fire tankers carrying 11,000 litres of water between them were sent for, he said.
All the water was used, plus the water in the household tank on the property, and one of the tankers refilled at nearby Invercargill airport.
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