Anger as 'very loud' unplanned flaring starts up at Mossmorran in Fife once again

Frustration met the sight of the Mossmorran flame burning bright above Fife once again this morning.

ExxonMobil said that a mechanical issue was identified at the ethylene plant near Cowdenbeath this morning and teams were working to have things back to normal.

The flaring, which could be seen from Edinburgh, often happens when a problem has arisen and gas which cannot be processed properly is burned.

The resident-led action group, Mossmorran, tweeted this morning to express their concerns at the latest instance – describing the sound of the operation as "very loud".

They posted: "Mossmorran flaring again, very loud. Will a response team be sent to monitor noise levels? Is ExxonMobil responsible for the latest flare? Another emergency? Hopefully Fife Council hasn't sent any school kids up to the pond today?"

Councillor Darren Watt also voiced his disapproval at the sight of the flare on social media.

ExxonMobil said that they apologise for the inconvenience and wanted to stress that there was no dangers to communities or staff.

Jacob McAlister, plant manager at Fife Ethylene Plant (FEP), said: “As a result of a mechanical issue, we are operating our elevated flare at FEP.

"Our teams have quickly identified the cause and we are confident that we will return to normal operations later today.

"We apologise for any inconvenience this is causing and would like to assure everyone that there is no danger to our communities or staff on site.”

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said they were aware of the issue and were trying to find out more.

ExxonMobil confirmed shortly before 4pm that normal operations had resumed, adding: "Our team worked swiftly to resolve a mechanical issue which occurred earlier today. We fully understand any concerns and would like to reiterate our apology for any inconvenience caused in local communities.”

Unplanned flaring at Mossmorran was also carried out in April – starting on Easter Sunday and continuing for more than five days.

SEPA announced that they were launching a formal investigation after more than 600 people complained at the sight of the burning flame and thick black smoke.

They said that this was one of the highest number of complaints for any single event.

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