An investigation is underway into the cause of an explosion at the ISPAT plant at Haulbowline in County Cork. The steel company's emergency plan was put into action just after noon when the transformer, which feeds the factory's electric arc furnace, exploded.
The plant is the biggest single user of electricity in the country. Fire units from Cobh, Carraigaline and Crosshaven were called to the former Irish Steel plant and the fire was put out within an hour. Nobody was injured, but it is understood up to half a million pounds worth of damage was caused by the explosion.
