Scalpay factory

Crews tackle factory fire for 24 hours

29 April 2017

Fire crews have been tackling hot spots following a fierce blaze at the Scalpay factory.

The building was burning overnight after a fire engulfed the net washing station on Friday.

Scorching heat buckled and twisted the 100ft x 65ft metal building, causing its upper level and roof to cave in and collapse in parts.

Leverburgh fire crew has been hosing down areas where flames are flaring up over Saturday. Another squad of fire-fighters is expected to relieve them.

The blaze started not long after all staff left the premises. Nobody was hurt in the incident.

Fourteen people are employed at the factory, a director of the Norwegian-owned operator, Net Services Scotland, told Hebrides News.

Workers usually knock-off at 4.30pm on a Friday so were all off the premises.

The firm said it is looking at “various options” to set up a temporary base to continue its net cleaning operations. This includes potential sites on Scalpay.

The alarm was raised at 5pm on Friday said the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Given concerns over toxic fumes from the burning building, residents in Kyles Scalpay across the sea channel were offered the option to evacuate their homes and stay in a hotel in Tarbert overnight.

With many spectators viewing the blaze from the rocky shoreline on both sides of the Sound of Scalpay, three coastguard teams attended to assist with public safety.

The factory facility cleans, repairs and applies anti-fouling treatment to giant nets used to cover salmon farm cages.

The new washing facility opened in 2008. Previously, it was run a salmon processing factory but 60 people lost their jobs when it closed 2005 after operator, Stolt, was taken over by a giant fish farming conglomerate created when Pan Fish merged with the former Marine Harvest.

Scottish Fire & Rescue Service