An investigation is under way to discover the cause of a weekend fire which caused millions of euro worth of damage at one of the country's biggest chicken processing factories.
Six fire brigade units fought for around seven hours on Saturday to contain the fire at a Western Brand Chicken plant on the outskirts of Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo.
A new unit where chicken burgers and nuggets were made was completely destroyed. Up to 30 people work in this breading and cooking section, but it was not in production at the time due to the bank holiday. Nobody was injured in the fire.
Other workers in the nearby main plant on the Knock Road were alerted to the emergency by two loud bangs at around 11.30am.
Fire brigade units from Mayo and Roscommon fought the fire which sent clouds of dense, black smoke billowing over the surrounding countryside. Fats used in the cooking process also went on fire, adding to the ferocity of the flames.
Electricity supplies to about 2,000 homes and businesses in the Ballyhaunis area were cut off for four hours.
Large crowds of people who gathered to watch the fire-fighting effort added to traffic congestion on the Ballyhaunis to Knock road at the time.
Up to 50 firefighters under the command of Mayo Chief Fire Officer Séamus Murphy fought to bring the outbreak under control.
Describing it as a "major incident", he said that luckily the winds had been favourable as they were blowing the smoke and flames away from fire teams and the adjacent road.
The main Western Brand Chicken complex, which employs some 100 people, was unaffected by the fire and will resume production as normal tomorrow according to the owners, the Lannon family.
The newly constructed breading and cooking section, at the plant, however, has been destroyed.
A legal spokesman for the company said on Saturday night that it was too early to say whether any workers would have to be temporarily laid off.
In a brief statement yesterday, the Lannon family acknowledged the "courageous and professional work" of the Mayo and Roscommon fire teams and thanked the Garda Síochána and volunteers for their help.