EAST WINDSOR - Firefighters used nearly 100,000 gallons of water yesterday to extinguish a hay fire that began on a flat-bed trailer, fire officials said.

The blaze began yesterday morning when farmer Frank Hom was working in a large field near Etra Road (County Road 571) and Feldsher Road, said Rich Slafer, a deputy chief with East Windsor Fire Co. No. 2.

Stacked bales of hay on the truck ignited and the truck's owner, Robert Rolle, attempted to prevent the fire from spreading by releasing the trailer from the cab of the truck, police said.

But the fire was soon out of control and had spread to the field where it ignited a huge amount of hay, Slafer said. It also engulfed the trailer, police said.

The fire's flames never became very tall, but it burned a large amount of hay and covered a large part of the field. No homes were nearby and the fire was prevented from burning nearby trees, he said.

It took about 60 firefighters from several area companies about four hours to bring the fire under control, Slafer said. No one was injured fighting the fire.

The blaze apparently began when a hay elevator engine caught fire, police said.