Court told of panic after cloud appeared over plant

A GARDA told a court yesterday that people panicked after seeing a large red-orange plume appear over a Shannon chemical plant two years ago.

Garda Pat Keating of Shannon Garda station told Ennis Circuit Court yesterday: “There was no smell from the cloud, but I feared that there might an explosion or poisoning. I was preparing for the worst.”

On the first day of the trial, Chemifloc Ltd denied failing to comply with conditions attached to its Integrated Pollution Control Licence (IPCL) issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in that it caused or permitted emissions to the atmosphere contrary to the provisions of its licence on May 24th, 2007.

In evidence, Garda Keating said he first saw the red-orange cloud seven or eight miles away as he was driving towards Shannon from Ennis. Garda Keating said as he neared the plant in the Smithstown area of the Shannon Free Zone, “the cloud was hanging very low and spreading towards the residential area of Ballycasey”.

He said that when he reached the gates of Chemifloc at 5.35pm, he found the gates of the plant to be closed. “The smoke at the plant was very thick and acrid. I had never seen anything like it.”

He said that the fire brigade arrived moments later. “People were coming up to me panicking. There was no difficulty in stopping people entering the industrial estate. They were all going the other direction.”

Garda Keating said that the cloud had lifted by 6.15pm and everything was clear by then.

Officer with the Clare Fire Service Michael Kelly said that after his personnel had dealt with the incident, he was satisfied that there was no danger to the public.

The case continues today.