Fifty firefighters battle blaze at Mayo chicken factory

Six fire brigade units are fighting a major blaze at one of the country's largest chicken processing facilities, the Westernbrand Chickens, in Ballyhaunis in Mayo.

The fire broke out at around midday and around fifty firefighters have been battling all afternoon to contain the blaze.

The fire is concentrated in the recently reconstructed cooking facility at the plant.

The factory was unoccupied at the time but normally around 75 employees would be working in that area.

The Chief Fire Officer for Co Mayo, Seamus Murphy, has described the fire as very serious but said he was confident it would be brought under control.