Police investigating lorry fire at old Quinn Group premises

The PSNI is investigating what police have described as a "report of a suspected case of arson" beside the former Quinn Group operations near Derrylin, Co Fermanagh. Locally, however it is believed the fire happened due to an "electrical fault".

The PSNI and fire service were called to the Quinn Industrial Holdings premises in the Ballyconnell Road area of Derrylin on Tuesday night after an articulated lorry was discovered on fire at the site.

Det Chief Insp Brian Foster appealed for anyone with information about the incident to bring it forward.

Several attacks on former Quinn Group property have taken place in the area since the various manufacturing companies belonging to former billionaire Seán Quinn went bust and were taken over in 2011 by a group chiefly representing American bond holders.

New venture

However, John McCartin, chairman the Quinn Business Retention Company, and a member of the board of Quinn Industrial Holdings which runs several companies formerly owned by Mr Quinn, said he believed the fire was caused by an "electrical fault".

Mr McCartin, who is also a Fine Gael councillor in Leitrim, was instrumental in creating the new venture which involves former senior managers from the old Quinn Group operation. He also brought Mr Quinn back into the company in a "consultancy" role.

Mr McCartin said he believed the fire was caused by an electrical fault. “The lorry was in our own garage where we were trying to address an electrical fault with it,” he said. “It went on fire shortly afterwards and all indications are that it was an electrical fault that caused the fire; and the fire officers on the scene favour that notion.”