Fire in old Erin foods factory

colm_mcm

Unfolding on facebook now

https://www.facebook.com/kclr96fm

Garda diverting traffic in Carlow town near Oak Park / Dr Cullen Park due to a fire at an abandoned factory. Emergency services are at the scene.

Chief Fire Officer Gerard Guerin says residents in Carlow should stay indoors, with windows & doors locked. Stay tuned to KCLR throughout the evening as evacuation is a possibility due to the toxic material being burned into the atmosphere.
Dr. Cullen Park Roundabout to Athy Road Roundabout is closed. Oak Park Road/Drive/Park all closed, with no access to residents. The message from the Gardai is that if you are out of your home, you cannot return for the moment.

Latest from the Gardai/Fire Officer/Carlow County Council:

There have been no injuries in the fire at the disused Armor Salmon/Erin Foods factory. The message to residents is to stay indoors, with doors and windows locked and securely fastened. This is due to toxic materials such as asbestos burning and rising into the atmosphere. Don't forget to let pets inside also. Do not go outside to watch the fire. Residents are advised to not break any cordons in place in the area.

Access to residents remains closed. If you are not at home, you will not be able to do so if you live in the affected area. Oak Park Road/Drive & Oak Park itself are all closed, with roads also closed between the Athy Road Roundabout and Dr Cullen Park Roundabout.

iano.p

I was driving bye when it blew it fighting the kids . With abit of luck they will knock it down now.

colm_mcm

Has it been abandoned for long?

AlanS181824

colm_mcm wrote: »

Has it been abandoned for long?

1994 or something? 90's?

I posted a thread about it here awhile back tryna find out what it was.

paddysdream

Unused for industrial use for a good few years now but not abandoned.
Full of straw and some grain.

Betty-ireland

The place is full of asbestos. There was also pcp in it but that was removed last year. It was advised the asbestos shold be removed, but it never happened.

Greenmachine

Hope one is going to get hurt by this, or lose any property.

iano.p

It's a danger the way it was left. But they had put some new windows in the front building in the last couple months. They had plans for it

colm_mcm

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/ten-fire-engines-battle-massive-blaze-at-disused-factory-30865331.html

Some ten fire tenders are being used to batte a massive fire at a derelict factory in Carlow town this evening.

The fire broke out at what was formally the Erin Foods factory on the Cannery Road at around 4.30pm.

The roof of the building - which has already collapsed - is made up of asbestos cement sheeting. Some 900 bales of straw are also on fire in the factory.

Inspector Martin Walker told independent.ie this evening that the fire will take a number of hours to bring under control.

Smoke and steam rising from the 900 bales of straw are currently presenting a challenge for fire officers.

A massive plume of smoke is rising straight into the sky above the factory site which is understood to encompass up to three acres.



"The chief fire officer is in situ, and they're fighting the fire at the moment. They are battling it away; they have control of it but it hasn’t been put out" Inspector Walker said.

Iarnrod Eireann, which operates services through nearby Carlow railway station, has been notified of the blaze.

The Environmental Protection Agency has also been contacted as well as a public health specialist, Inspector Walker said.

"We’ve taken their advice on board. And the best advice we could offer the public would be to remain indoors and for windows to remain closed."

Gardai are driving into local residential areas to issue advice using PA systems from their patrol cars. And the local radio station KCLR is issuing bulletins every ten minutes to offer advice for locals.


Inspector Walker said: “At 4.25 this evening, gardai were on patrol and noticed a fire at the old cannery factory. It was getting quite high at that stage and they notified emergency services."

Fianna Fall councillor Anne Ahern said the building, which is now privately owned, has survived other minor fires in the past.

Carlow’s Dr. Cullen Road is closed between the Athy Road roundabout and the Dublin Road roundabout.

“The road between the Athy Rd Roundabout and the Dublin Rd Roundabout are closed due to the fire, and diversions are currently in place.”

The EPA and the local authority Carlow County Council will have a significant role in the clean-up of the immediate area tomorrow.

Asbestos is a natural mineral which is both heat and chemically resistant. Asbestos can be harmful if dust containing the fibre is inhaled.

hadepsx

So from that last bit in article above, will the asbestos burn at all/ does it reach a certain temperature then its unsafe.

Should have taken out years ago anyways. Wouldn't want to be the owner.

Or could be possible insurance fraud/claim???

BorneTobyWilde

Firefighters often have the most exposure to burning asbestos. The asbestos becomes exposed due to the fire itself. When burning, the fibers can be released into the air during the initial stages of extinguishing a fire. The fibers can be inhaled into the lungs, once exposed in the air and can become lodged in tiny sacs surrounding the internal organs. At that point, the victim is not able to breath or cough them out. In a real emergency, a firefighter must take off his protective gear; therefore becoming exposed to the asbestos.''

lucylu

This site was used by the emergency services training a couple of years ago.
Fair play to the fire services, Gardai civil defence and the council workers in fighting this fire and its cleanup.

tonyheaney

Mod Snip. Please don't make allegations on thread .

tonyheaney

Really? what if the poison was real? would that be a good thing, it didnt light its self some one did it for a reason]

slimjimmc

tonyheaney wrote: »

Really? what if the poison was real? would that be a good thing, it didnt light its self some one did it for a reason]

How are you so sure?
http://www.extension.org/pages/66577/preventing-fires-in-baled-hay-and-straw#.VKEvpAN9A


http://nasdonline.org/document/917/d000758/hay-fires-prevention-and-control.html

WILLIESAVAGE9

does anybody know who owns the cannerys now and who exactly is paying for the security if the council is not

tonyheaney

dont know but can any one tell me why there is loads of hay all over the ground on there?

tommycahir

tonyheaney wrote: »

dont know but can any one tell me why there is loads of hay all over the ground on there?

The buildings were used for storing hay for some purpose (remember reading it online at the time)

My take on it is that the fire was close to it (therefore it was likely to get wet from either whole in roof/ brigade putting out fire) so it was pulled out.
I am assuming that they spread it out to ensure that it didn't heat and restart a fire as wet hay in a stack (larger enough) will generate heat and it is possible to start a fire from this scenario.

WILLIESAVAGE9

tommycahir wrote: »

The buildings were used for storing hay for some purpose (remember reading it online at the time)

My take on it is that the fire was close to it (therefore it was likely to get wet from either whole in roof/ brigade putting out fire) so it was pulled out.
I am assuming that they spread it out to ensure that it didn't heat and restart a fire as wet hay in a stack (larger enough) will generate heat and it is possible to start a fire from this scenario.

It was left because asbestos particles are now on the hay from the shed roofs and it has to be sent to Germany to be legally desposed if there's actually security on the hay itself I'm told but from what I see there just asleep in the car beside it