Blaze rips through Dunboyne recycling plant
A fire that broke out last night at the Thornton Recycling facility in Dunboyne has been brought under control this morning.
No injuries have been reported from the fire due to the centre being closed at the time with no personnel on site.
The fire was prevented from spreading to other units in the business park and an office block on the site was not affected.
“Shortly after 10pm on Thursday, 16 April 2025, gardaí were alerted to a fire at an industrial unit in Dunboyne, Co Meath,” a garda spokesperson said.
It remains unclear what started the fire, but foul play is not suspected, according to the garda spokesperson.
Thorntons was founded by Padraig and Carmel Thornton in 1979 and employs 500 staff across its centres in the east of Ireland.
Crews from Ashbourne, Dunshaughlin and Navan attended the scene with special water tankers from Ashbourne and Navan in attendance. The fire was contained to the area of the site where materials that are due to be recycled are stored. Water to some homes in the area may be impacted.
Local Cllr Caroline O'Reiilly expressed her sympathy for the "Thornton family and to all their employees" following the devastating fire at Thornton’s Recycling Centre in Dunboyne last night.
"This is a shocking and upsetting event for a business that has been a longstanding part of our community, and I commend the tireless work of Meath Fire Services who worked so hard to contain and extinguish the blaze.
"Thankfully, no injuries have been reported. That is something we can all be grateful for, but the wider implications of this incident cannot be ignored.
"I have been raising concerns about water pressure and supply issues in Dunboyne and surrounding areas for over a year now. Last night, during this emergency, fire crews were forced to draw water from hydrants 1.5km away in the village due to insufficient water pressure at nearby hydrants adjacent to the facility. Residents in Kilbreena and other nearby areas reported loss of water as a result of this. This is unacceptable and highlights a critical weakness in our infrastructure.
"Irish Water has previously described the supply in Dunboyne as being “on a knife edge” – and this fire has exposed the real risks of that fragility. I have received countless messages from residents facing repeated disruptions – no water, or a trickle from taps during peak hours. This is not sustainable, and not safe."
More to follow...