Logs reveal no fire crews reached farm despite official statement claiming rescue
MID AND WEST WALES Fire and Rescue Service is under fire after its initial account of a Pontyates flood suggested crews had attended and helped save livestock — when logs now show no appliances ever reached the farm.
Kiyan Freedom, who runs Azadi Farm with his wife Tetiana, lost more than 270 sheep and lambs on Thursday (Sept 4) when the river through his land burst its banks.
In a video that went viral, Mr Freedom said he and friends battled the floodwaters alone. He described being chest-deep, diving repeatedly to free trapped sheep, and said that when he called 999 he was told no rescue boats were available.
What the fire service said
In its first statement to The Herald, the service claimed: “At 12:52pm crews from Kidwelly and Carmarthen Fire Station were called to an incident at Tanerdy Farm, Pontyates. Crews responded to approximately 90 sheep that were relocated to dry land … Crews left the scene at 2:50pm.”
The account clearly implied that appliances were present and had carried out the rescue.
What really happened
Logs released since tell a different story.
A single officer reached the farm at 1:38pm. Crews from Kidwelly and Carmarthen’s water rescue team were tasked but stood down before arrival. No appliances or boats attended. The 90 sheep were moved by Mr Freedom and neighbours, not by firefighters.
At Monday’s Fire Authority meeting, a senior officer said Carmarthen’s water team had been tasked at 2:19pm but cancelled 15 minutes later as river levels were deemed to be receding.
Mr Freedom, who sat quietly at the back of the meeting, stone faced.
Before the meeting he told the Herald: “I was up to my neck in water, diving under to pull sheep out. There was no help from the emergency services.”
Councillor presses for answers
Independent councillor Gordon Walker, a former firefighter and long-standing critic of fire service management, challenged officers.
“It said in the newspaper that two vehicles attended … but the farmer says no fire appliances attended. Why wasn’t the correct equipment mobilised from Swansea or further afield?”
When told units had been tasked, Walker pressed: “So they weren’t at the scene then.” The reply: “No — they were stood down due to the assessment of water levels receding.”
Resources under question
Pontyates Fire Station, an on-call unit, was unavailable due to insufficient crew numbers.
The Haverfordwest water rescue boat, stationed less than an hour away, was not mobilised. The service said Carmarthen’s unit was closer and that Haverfordwest had to remain on standby for life-risk incidents.
That boat was moved from Milford Haven to Haverfordwest in 2019 after firefighter Josh Gardener was killed in a training accident — a decision attributed to then-Station Manager Phil Irvine and Area Commander Carwyn Thomas. Irvine has since been dismissed.
Growing pressure
Former firefighter William G. Howells has now written to Fire Authority chairman Cllr John Davies, urging him to demand explanations: “A water response team was available at Haverfordwest but was not requested.”
For Mr Freedom, the unanswered question remains: why did no one come when he needed them most?
A GoFundMe appeal has since been launched to help Azadi Farm recover.
Cover image: Elkanah Evans
