THE CONDITION of a worker who collapsed after breathing in toxic fumes while working at the Brechin meat rendering plant is continuing to improve.

Charlie Anderson (53) was the most seriously affected of the four people who were taken to Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, with breathing difficulties after an incident in the plant operated by Sacone Environmental Ltd, Montrose Road, on Wednesday.

His daughter Mary said yesterday that the family had feared the worst when they were called to his bedside in the hospital’s high dependency unit immediately after his collapse.

Some 48 hours later, Mr Anderson’s condition was improving.

His daughter said she believed her father had been within minutes of being too badly affected by the fumes to have recovered.

“We understand he received treatment just in time. He’s a tough old boot,” she added.

With the Health and Safety Executive inspectors still on site to investigate what went wrong, Brechin councillor Mairi Evans has urged the operators of Sacone to put in place “vast improvements” to protect the health and well-being of the public.

She said, “The incident at the Sacone plant this week has yet again raised the issue of what can be done to ensure the residents of Brechin and Sacone’s employees are safeguarded from the activities at the installation.

“It is not good enough for my constituents to have to put with either odours leaking from the plant or, as on this occasion, serious breaches of safety within the plant itself.

“Brechiners are fed-up with constant reassurances from Sacone about how improvements will be made, when instances keep occurring which cast a shadow over the operation of the installation, each time reducing people’s faith in the management’s ability to run the incinerator and abattoir complex.

“I will be keeping a close eye on Sacone to ensure that they do in fact listen to my constituents and will maintain contact with the Health and Safety Executive and SEPA in order that Brechiners are kept up to date.”