Four People Critically Injured in Tyre Recycling Blast

Irish Health & Safety Authority officials are investigating an explosion at Crumb Rubber Ireland, the only collector and processor of scrap tyres in the Republic of Ireland. Four people, including two firefighters, were critically injured in the incident at the company’s facility near Dundalk on 28 May.

The explosion is thought to have happened as fire fighters were bringing a machinery fire under control, a company spokesman said. Despite the serious nature of the accident, he said that the plant is likely to be back in operation within two months.

Established two years ago, Crumb Rubber has 15 employees and also provides work for another 25 people via subcontractors, said the spokesman. The plant, he added, has a capacity to process 8,000 car tyres or 1,500 truck tyres, which are ground down into rubber crumb for applications such as surfacing for playgrounds, sports facilities and equestrian centres.