Kilkeel gas leak: Two discharged from hospital

Two people who were admitted to hospital following a suspected ammonia gas leak at a fish processing plant in Co Down yesterday have been discharged.
Fire crews cordoned off the scene of the suspected ammonia gas leak at a factory at Kilkeel Harbour on Monday. Pic: Philip Magowan / PressEyeFire crews cordoned off the scene of the suspected ammonia gas leak at a factory at Kilkeel Harbour on Monday. Pic: Philip Magowan / PressEye
Fire crews cordoned off the scene of the suspected ammonia gas leak at a factory at Kilkeel Harbour on Monday. Pic: Philip Magowan / PressEye

The pair were among 13 people taken to Daisy Hill Hospital in the aftermath of the incident at the Young’s Seafood factory in Kilkeel.

Fire crews and ambulance service personnel were called to the Harbour Road site yesterday afternoon. The air ambulance was also tasked during what the NI Ambulance Service declared “a major incident”.

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Eleven of those taken to hospital were discharged a short time later, with two people being kept in for further assessment.

Giving an update on the two individuals who were admitted to the Newry hospital, a spokesperson for the Southern Health Trust said: “Both patients have been discharged.”

A spokesperson for Young’s Seafood said emergency crews were called to the factory in response to “reports of a suspected small ammonia leak.”

Engineers were on site at the time, conducting routine annual tests, and the leak was stopped immediately,” she said.

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“We are currently liaising with the Fire and Rescue Service and implementing our investigation plan and cannot comment further until we have concluded our investigation.”

Production at the plant was expected to resume today as normal.

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland is investigating the incident.

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