Firefighters battle blaze at Bord na Móna plant

Number of units respond to fire at Drehid waste management facility in Co Kildare

A number of units of the Co Kildare fire service are at the scene of a major blaze at the Drehid Bord Na Móna waste management plant. File photograph: The Irish Times
A number of units of the Co Kildare fire service are at the scene of a major blaze at the Drehid Bord Na Móna waste management plant. File photograph: The Irish Times

A number of units of the Co Kildare fire service are at the scene of a major blaze at the Drehid Bord Na Móna waste management plant near Carbury.

The fire initially broke out on Friday night and was brought under control with the aid of the fire service and Air Corps helicopters which were called in to help fight the blaze.

However, black smoke was seen emerging from the plant again on Sunday, prompting a renewed fire-fighting operation, locals said.

Two units of the Co Kildare fire brigade have entered the Bord Na Móna compound, while two more are stationed at the perimeter as a preventative measure to stop the fire spreading to the hundreds of hectares of bogland in the area.

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The Drehid landfill plant extracts gas from municipal waste and can produce up to 5.6 megawatts of renewable power – enough to power 8,500 homes.

Drehid is one of the State’s largest landfill sites in the country, with a 120,000 tonnes per annum capacity and a 25,000 tonnes per annum composting facility.

In July 2018 the Kildare Fire Service tackled a blaze at the Bord na Móna Kilberry plant near Athy, which produced horticultural products.

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien is an Irish Times journalist