Fire destroyed the rendering part of Atwood Resources,
formerly named Atwood Pet Food Supplies, but firemen were able to save the
nearby multi-million-dollar gasification plant.
The loss has been estimated at more than $10 million.
Owner Tom Smith said he hopes to continue picking up
deadstock to have it rendered at an alternative location until he’s able to
rebuild the plant.
Neither the heat nor smoke from the fire damaged the
gasification plant which incinerates animal remains, especially specified risk
materials that might harbour Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE, or mad
cow’s disease). Heat from the incineration is returned to the rendering plant.
Highway 23 was closed while volunteers from all three fire
stations in North Perth fought the blaze that broke out soon after midnight
Friday morning.
There were five of the company’s 32 employees in the plant
at the time.
Volunteer firemen from stations in West Perth,
Perth East and Grey Township also helped.
