Somerset ‘hero’ farmer rescues 12 two-day-old piglets from fire
17th March 2025
Roger Apsey, who farms in Charlton Musgrove, South Somerset, rescued two-day-old piglets from a fire that broke out in his barn in the middle of the night.
The farmer told BBC News that he was woken up by his partner Emily at around midnight on 8th March when she realised the barn was on fire.
“I quickly ran outside. I could hear the piglets squealing. We’ve got a lot of collector cars in the shed as well, they all got burnt. The glass was smashing.
“I ran in and out four times carrying piglets, three at a time. I passed them to Emily so she would put them in the barn safe on the other side of the farm,” Mr Apsey told the media.
‘The mission was to get piglets out regardless’
The farmer said that, unfortunately, a collector’s tractor that his son received from his grandfather got destroyed in the fire.
He added that the fire service “told him off” for running into the burning barn.
“You don’t think of that at the time; the mission was to get the piglets out regardless,” BBC News reported.
Mr Apsey was named a “hero” among his local community and has been asked for autographs, however, he hopes that he will never have to experience a similar situation again.
He told Somerset Live: “We are just so glad the animals are okay. My animals are my life. They’re pets.”
Hero Somerset farmer rescues new-born piglets in barnyard blaze https://t.co/ugJi0Xg4JR
— Somerset Live (@SomersetLive) March 11, 2025
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