Concerns over low water pressure in fire hydrants after blaze at Meath recycling centre

Louise Walsh

Concerns about low water pressure in fire hydrants have been raised after a major blaze at one of Meath's main recycling centres on Thursday night.

Numerous units of the Meath fire services battled the blaze at Thornton's Recycling Centre in Dunboyne from 10pm on Thursday night until just before 7am on Friday morning.

In addition to traditional firefighting methods, the deployed crews used a digger to take a large number of materials out of the premises to be broken down to help quell the spread of the fire.

Gardaí confirmed that they were alerted to a fire at an industrial unit in Dunboyne but that foul play is not suspected at this time.

According to its website, Thorntons was founded by Padraig and Carmel Thornton in 1979 and serves over 77,000 customers each day, recycling over 90 per cent of its waste.

It employs 500 staff in a number of centres in the east but it is not known how many jobs will be affected by the fire in Dunboyne.

The fire has added to concerns by local Fianna Fáil councillor Caroline O'Reilly who claims fire services had to take water from hydrants in the village to deal with the blaze because adjacent fire hydrants weren't 'fit for purpose'.

"The cause of this huge fire is to be still investigated but I have been informed that the water pressure was so low at the hydrants there that fire trucks were seen to refill in the village centre 1.5 km away from the blaze," she said.

"I have been raising this issue for over a year about water pressure in both Dunboyne and Kilcloon - which has been resolved for now, and at Kilbreena where the recycling centre is. I have asked the council to inspect the hydrants and officially gauge the water pressure but I was told it is a matter for Irish water.

"I have contacted Irish Water many, many times and I have raised the risks of low water pressure in the event of a fire with Meath Co. Council.

"Just before St Patrick's Day, I asked the fire service to inspect hydrants and I was told they were not fit for purpose in the event of a fire. I went out with the fire services that night and it was clear that the pressure was inadequate.

"I was reassured that in the event of a fire, the attending crews would be prepared with extra water tankers."

Cllr O'Reilly said residents in nearby Kilbreena estate also reported a loss of water last night and have faced repeated water disruptions in recent times.

In a statement, Meath County Council said: "Shortly after 10pm on Thursday, April 17th, 2025, Meath County Council's Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene of a large fire at a recycling premises in Dunboyne.

"Crews from Ashbourne, Navan, and Dunshaughlin worked through the night to extinguish the fire, and two specialist water tankers were deployed.

"Support was also provided by the recycling premises in the form of supplying additional tankers and equipment, which were utilized to help bring the fire under control.

"In addition to traditional firefighting methods, the deployed crews used a digger to take a large number of materials out of the premises to be broken down to help quell the spread of the fire.

"All crews from the Fire and Rescue Service left the scene shortly before 7am this morning, after the fire was extinguished."