Man arrested on suspicion of arson at Gwent crisp factory
A man has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire destroyed a south Wales crisp factory.
Around 50 firefighters attended the blaze at the Real Crisps site on Crumlin’s Penyfan industrial estate at around 3am on 20th September. The fire caused extensive damage and has affected around 75% of the factory.
A spokesperson for Gwent Police said: “Fire investigators have been at the site today and have established the fire is believed to be deliberately set.”
Gwent Police have confirmed that a man has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Paul Allen, chief executive of Northern Ireland company Tayto Group said: “Our focus now is on what we can do for those staff, who are naturally concerned for their jobs. We also need to ensure minimal disruption to our customers and we are working hard to bring that about. We do have other factories and will be considering all options that are open to us. Once we have fully assessed the situation we shall be able to make further announcements.”
Environment Agency staff have also been involved in the incident and have been ensuring that local water supplies are not polluted.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “Action by the fire service and Environment Agency Wales officers to set up a series of barriers around the area contained the water and prevented a potential risk to the environment. The agency believes that local rivers and streams have not been affected but it remains onsite to help with the disposal of the contaminated water and continues to monitor the situation.”