The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Suspicions abattoir fire was started deliberately
Blazeat pig processing plant broke out in early hours of Saturday
Foul play is not being ruled out by investigators probing a huge blaze at Brechin’s £10 million abattoir site, The Courier understands.
Saturday’s early morning inferno at the newly-refurbished Quality Pork Limited (QPL) abattoir on Montrose Road is officially being treated as “unexplained” but there are said to be strong suspicions it was started deliberately.
The blaze broke out while the premises were closed, with firefighters arriving to find two industrial units well alight after the alarm was raised at 4.06am.
The initial indications are that the pig production line has been unaffected by the fire and the main damage is to a staff canteen, offices and a storage shed.
Alternative arrangements were being made to send around 6,000 pigs a week to England to be processed until the facilities can be restored.
A total of 12 appliances including height and special support vehicles responded to the incident with more than 40 firefighters using high-powered hoses to bring the blaze under control.
The fire raged for more than eight hours and crews remained for most of the day to damp down hot spots.
Quality Pork Limited (QPL), the company formed by a collaboration between pig farmers and the major processor Tulip Ltd, bought the Brechin site in 2014 from AP Jess. Scottish Pig Producers (SPP) chief executive, Andy McGowan, said police and fire services had control of the site over the weekend. He said: “We’re working hard to get processing space at a Manchester plant so that farmers aren’t too badly affected.
Detective Inspector Scott F other ingham said: “This has been an extensive fire but thankfully no one has been injured.”
He urged anyone with information about the incident to contact police.
Thefire raged for more than eight hours