Cleanup operation underway at mayo plant

MAYO Fine Gael Deputy John O’Mahony has expressed his regret at the setback suffered by a leading Mayo company whose factory was engulfed in fire last night (Tuesday).

He said workers at McHale’s agricultural equipment facility in Ballinrobe had been ‘flat out’ meeting demands for their products and they hoped to get back to production as quickly as possible.

Deputy O’Mahony accompanied Agricultural Minister Simon Coveney on a visit to the site as eight units of the fire service from across Mayo and parts of Galway tackled the blaze at the McHale plant on the outskirts of Ballinrobe.

It is understood the fire may have started in a paint room at the factory.

Emergency services were called to the scene shortly before 6 p.m. Their job was complicated by a number of small explosions throughout the evening.

Emergency services were assisted by a number of farmers from across south Mayo, who travelled to the scene with tankers of water.

The McHale company employs around 270 people in the town and exports farm machinery to more than 40 countries around the world.

The building was evacuated as soon as the fire broke out. There are no reports of any injuries as a result of the blaze and the clean-up operation got underway earlier today.