Arson attack may have caused Athy blaze

AN ARSON attack may have caused the fire which destroyed the former Peerless Rugs factory in Athy, Co Kildare, yesterday morning, say gardaí.

Officers of the Garda Technical Branch have begun a detailed examination of the factory and forensic experts have sealed off the premises.

Six units of Kildare Fire Brigade brought the fire under control. There were no injuries from the blaze which was reported shortly after midnight.

The factory, in the industrial estate off the Abbeyleix Road, has been vacant since last March when 32 former employees ended their occupation of the premises following agreement on redundancy terms.

Originally, the 64 former employees had taken part in the 18-month sit-in.

"It has been a nightmare 24 hours for me and my employees," said Martin Buckley, owner of the Athy factory and the associated Refond plant at the Sunbeam industrial estate in Blackpool, Cork itself destroyed in a huge blaze some 12 hours earlier.

Peerless Rugs ceased production in July 2001 with the loss of 64 jobs. The company blamed competition from Third World countries for the closure, but continued to operate its plants in Cork and Mountmellick, Co Laois.

Most of the Athy employees had over 20 years' service when the factory closed down.

On a number of occasions during their dispute with the company, delegations from Athy had travelled to the Blackpool plant seeking the workers' solidarity with no success.

In the meantime, 32 workers had continued the sit-in on an eight-hour shift basis, making it the one of the longest-running occupations in the history of the State.

Now, the Cork fire has not only destroyed the Blackpool factory but management has told the 130 workers they are being made redundant and the factory will not reopen.