A CHEMICAL company has been fined £40,000 after admitting health and safety breaches which led to an explosion which destroyed its Borders factory more than four years ago.

Rathburn Chemicals, of Walkerburn, pleaded guilty at Selkirk Sheriff Court to lapses during the process of distilling pentane which allowed highly flammable vapour to escape into the atmosphere and ignite when an employee switched on a ventilation system.

The early-morning blast caused a huge explosion, throwing bricks into the air.

A massive fireball engulfed the factory and caused damage to neighbouring buildings.

The court was told it was extremely fortunate no-one was injured or died in the incident at about 6.45am on January 10, 2020.

The explosion happened when the pentane overheated in a vessel and bubbled over after being left unattended, resulting in an excessive production of the vapour which the vessel was unable to contain, the court heard.

It ignited when a switch was triggered with the explosion waking up people in neighbouring properties who witnessed the flames shooting up into the air.

Rathburn Chemicals admitted several breaches in the process of distilling pentane including to carry out risk assessments to protect employees and the building and minimise the risk of pentane vapour into the atmosphere, failing to maintain a safe system of work for the process, and failing to provide instruction for employees in any process to distil pentane in order to ensure its safe operation.

Sheriff Peter Paterson fined the firm £40,000 with a £3,000 victim surcharge added.