A NUMBER of lorries were damaged by a fire at a sand and gravel quarry owned by the Quinn Group in Co Galway on Tuesday night.
The blaze broke out at Quinn Group’s Williamstown Quarry at about 10pm and is believed to have spread from a lorry to other lorries parked alongside.
The area was sealed off yesterday as gardaí carried out their investigation. A Garda spokesman said inquiries were ongoing and “the technical unit are out there carrying out an examination of the scene”. In total five lorries were damaged to varying degrees, with three more seriously than the others, the spokesman said.
A spokesman for the Quinn Group confirmed “there was an incident at our western plant last night in which a lorry went on fire.” The spokesman was unable to put a value on the damage caused by the fire. He said the Quinn Group were awaiting the results of the Garda investigation into the fire.
“Hopefully they [the gardaí] will come to a speedy conclusion on what was the cause, and if it was arson, who was responsible.”
While the cause of the fire has not yet been established, Quinn Group properties have been the target of several arson attacks since a share receiver was appointed in April. A vehicle belonging to Quinn Group chief executive Paul O’Brien was set on fire in August.