Flames ate up Cermaq offices in Coipué, in the region La Araucanía in Chile.
Early Sunday morning a fire took place at one of the offices close to a hatchery in Region IX.
“Attempts to control the fire were disturbed by the criminals, some armed with guns. Our people are safe though it was clearly a stressful incident for them, and the staff are receiving support from the company management and human resource area,” says Steven Rafferty, Managing Director Cermaq Chile, to SalmonBusiness.
According to La Copperativa the building was burned down by four armed intruders from the anti-socialist party.
“Around 01:00 a.m., four hooded people entered this sector and set fire to office units. We have the evidence that allows us to establish both motives and those responsible,” said Deputy Commission Héctor Bravo, in charge of the investigation, to the newspaper.
To this Steven Rafferty states:
“We have of course now passed this to investigators and police. We cannot comment much more meantime, but preliminary assessment is that this is not related to Cermaq or the salmon industry, but is a broader issue against all industrial activity in the area concerned.”
It is also stated that the armed intruders shot at least ten shots at the fire fighters at the scene.
Steven Rafferty informs the production unit has not been affected and will continue as usual.
