Major Western Isles seafood exporter hit by fire
20 December 2019
Production at one of the largest fish factories in the Western Isles has been severely affected by a blaze.
An electrical fire power supply unit containing SSE supply equipment has knocked out Barratlantic’s new blast freezer, risking half of the company’s shellfish output going to waste.
Essential electronics were destroyed by flames last night, cutting off the energy supply to the neighbouring factory.
The deep freezing unit is vitally important to the business as it rapidly chills pallets of perishable prawns, scallop and fish down to minus 36 degrees centigrade ahead of transportation to their main markets in France, Italy and Spain.
Shellfish is also deep frozen and stored on site for customers.
Barratlantic general manager Christina MacNeil said: “This is having a massive impact. We cannot freeze anything. We need the blast freezer working.“
A fire crew from the nearby airport assisted the Castlebay fire personnel in tackling the blaze when the alarm was raised at 6.24pm.
The Lochboisdale fire engine was transported across the Sound of Barra on the MV Loch Bhrusda ferry.
Fire crews prevented the flames from spreading to a neighbouring site.
A SEE spokesperson said local staff attended the scene 30 minutes after the alarm was raised.
A spokesperson said: “We isolated supplies at our local substation to allow the fire to be tackled safely which was within a Barratlantic housing for one of their incoming supply points resulting in damage to SSEN assets along with Barratlantic electrical equipment.
“Staff from South Uist attended site on the first available ferry today (Fri) at around 11.30am to safely reconnect supplies to unaffected commercial properties and local street lighting. The main Barratlantic site supply was unaffected by the fire.”
The Barratlantic shellfish factory at Ardveenish is supplied by the island’s fishing fleet and is a vital employer on Barra with in excess of 40 people working for the company at peak periods.
The firm is a major Hebridean exporter with a European-
Around 10 boats work out of Barra reinforcing how important the fishing industry
is for the 1,100-
Christina MacNeil / Barratlantic
