Anger at refusal to create special emergency plan for Ringaskiddy

News comes a year on since a major fire ripped through R&H animal feed plant, with huge plumes of smoke visible 50km away

Looking across at the large fire at the R&H animal feed plant, at the Ringaskiddy Deepwater Berth, Co Cork, last January. 

There has been an angry reaction after calls to create "a special emergency plan" to address industrial accidents in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, were turned down by senior council officials.

The news came almost a year to the day after a major fire ripped through R&H animal feed plant, with huge plumes of smoke visible 50km away.

The blaze lasted for 80 hours, causing panic in the local community.

Firefighters at the scene of the fire in Ringaskiddy.

When the fire happened in January last year, councillors called for a specific plan to be put in place for Ringaskiddy, especially as it is home to a number of major industries and has just one main road leading in and out of it.

Independent councillor Marcia D'Alton raised concerns at the time and believed she had got the assurances she and residents had demanded.

However, when she asked for an updated report on what was happening, she and other councillors were none too pleased by its contents.

Ms D'Alton pointed out there was much criticism at the time from residents about the lack of early communication from the authorities about the nature and extent of the R&H Hall fire.

“They [residents] simply did not know what was happening. They got their information largely from social media. 

"One member of the residents' association spent literally 24 hours trying to eke out information from wherever it could be got and piecing it together for circulation to the community. 

"Nobody knew whether or not there was a need for evacuation,” Ms D'Alton said.

At a county council meeting, just days after the fire, senior officials said a formal post-incident review would be undertaken. This was to examine everything that had happened on site, plus communications and engagement with the local community.

Part of the fire-damaged store at the R&H facility in Ringaskiddy. 

Last March, Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath asked for an update from officials who said the review was still ongoing and could lead to potential improvements in the Major Emergency Management Plan for the county.

“At the very least, any updating or changes to the Major Emergency Plan arising from the R&H Hall fire should be identified and explained and if the decision is that a local alert system is not possible, then the reason for that conclusion also needs to be explained,” Ms D'Alton said.

The latest report from officials states: "Having reviewed the incident, Cork County Council’s overall Major Emergency Plan for responding to any major incident that might occur in any area within Cork County, including the Ringaskiddy area, is considered to be the most appropriate approach to providing a coordinated response in such circumstances."

It went into further detail of why it considered a stand-alone plan for Ringaskiddy was not needed.

Mr McGrath said the response was npt what they had asked for. 

“We need to pursue it and get an adequate response," he added.

Municipal officials said they would relay the councillors' views to higher officials in County Hall.