STAFF AT one of the country’s largest electricity-generating stations had to clamber on to a roof for safety following an accidental ash leak yesterday which left one person needing medical attention.
Workers at the ESB’s power station at Moneypoint in west Clare had to be evacuated from the plant following the lunchtime incident. A building was engulfed in “fly ash”, which one worker said is “so fine, it flows like water”. The incident was in the main generating area.
It is understood contract staff had been working on one of the plant’s three generators when the leak occurred. It is thought a valve was left open, causing the ash discharge. The generator was “off-line” and not operational at the time and there was no interruption to power generation.
As soon as the alarm sounded, the plant’s own emergency response team was alerted and the Kilrush fire brigade and an ambulance also responded.
One contract worker was taken by car to see a doctor in Kilrush but did not require hospitalisation.