Remarkable video and images show “apocalyptic” flaring coming from the Mossmoran petrochemical plant in Fife.
Operators of the plant apologised to communities after restarting the plant on Thursday night. It was shut down last year following persistent flaring episodes.
Huge gas flaring was visible for miles which prompted social media speculation that the plant was actually on fire.
The graphic below shows where people on Twitter reported sightings of the flaring, with the furthest distance Cairn o’ Mount in Aberdeenshire, 126 miles away.
The dramatic sight of fire in the night sky led one person on the social network to describe it as “apolocalyptic”.
Katie Tunn posted: “This is the first time I’ve learnt about #Mossmorran and the flaring. Seen clearly from Edinburgh and from as far away as Dundee, it’s like something apocalyptic and unreal.”
James Donlan tweeted: “It is worse now than it was before the “improvements”. Now when there’s an upset, night turns into day in Fife.”
Michael Alexander tweeted: “No that’s not the #sunset…That orange glow in the sky is the latest #Mossmorran flaring as seen from 20+ miles away in #Cupar this evening @MossFlare.”
Don't actually live there but you can see it from the viewpoint on the Cairn O'Mount road. Not sure of the distance as the crow flies.
— Norrie Morrison (@MorrisonNorrie) February 13, 2020
This is the first time I’ve learnt about #Mossmorran and the flaring. Seen clearly from Edinburgh and from as far away as Dundee, it’s like something apocalyptic and unreal https://t.co/rn3nmHuNmG
— Katie Tunn (@Katie__Eden) February 13, 2020
#Mossmorran last night, it is worse now than it was before the "improvements" . Now when there's an upset, night turns into day in Fife. pic.twitter.com/mRtfLg2W89
— James Donlan 🏴🇪🇺 (@jamesdonlan) February 14, 2020
We were out last night and tonight monitoring this. The pm2.5 readings tonight are 3 times higher than last night! #Mossmorran pic.twitter.com/Qc8SD8CyGo
— Donna 🏴🇪🇺 (@Donna196652) February 13, 2020
Around six miles from #Mossmorran here, and the light pollution is unreal pic.twitter.com/gDjKKD83Pp
— Tom Freeman (@TomFreemanSGP) February 13, 2020
No that’s not the #sunset…That orange glow in the sky is the latest #Mossmorran flaring as seen from 20+ miles away in #Cupar this evening @MossFlare pic.twitter.com/ZLW6pT6eRc
— Michael Alexander (@C_MAlexander) February 11, 2020
The view from Dunfermline tonight. I can’t even imagine what it’s like in Cowdenbeath or Lochgelly @MossFlare #Mossmorran pic.twitter.com/svHDCxNCCn
— Mags Hall (@MagsSGP) February 13, 2020
This is it in Cowdenbeath tonight pic.twitter.com/0UYYbD2TAi
— Donna 🏴🇪🇺 (@Donna196652) February 11, 2020
40 miles away just outside Monifieth! pic.twitter.com/O0zBigMqQ6
— Chris Lewis (@cpb_lewis) February 13, 2020
Always sunny in Fife #mossmorran @scotgov @NicolaSturgeon pic.twitter.com/fL7AJV2se2
— Lynne Watson (@lynnewhatson) February 13, 2020
so uh… we can see #Mossmorran from Edinburgh. this is definitely fine. pic.twitter.com/VE4UQxhVnB
— Alasdair (@themyscrian) February 13, 2020
We were out last night and tonight monitoring this. The pm2.5 readings tonight are 3 times higher than last night! #Mossmorran pic.twitter.com/Qc8SD8CyGo
— Donna 🏴🇪🇺 (@Donna196652) February 13, 2020
Around six miles from #Mossmorran here, and the light pollution is unreal pic.twitter.com/gDjKKD83Pp
— Tom Freeman (@TomFreemanSGP) February 13, 2020
Stuff your aurora borealis! Come to Fife and see the aurora mossmorran! #stripthetitles pic.twitter.com/BTQHpYbWM8
— HAMPDEN IN THE SUN (@markyb1888) February 13, 2020
I passed #Mossmorran main gate 30 mins ago & the flaring was the most intense I've ever seen.
Although we've been assured by @exxonmobil_fep & @ScottishEPA that the restart is progressing well & as safely as possible, I'm sure we all want this to end at the earliest opportunity. pic.twitter.com/MaqW21Sbf1
— Cllr Darren Watt 🏴🇬🇧 (@CllrDarrenWatt) February 13, 2020
40 miles away just outside Monifieth! pic.twitter.com/O0zBigMqQ6
— Chris Lewis (@cpb_lewis) February 13, 2020
Last week too…. happens loads pic.twitter.com/xfYlAfSJJA
— Coop 🏴 (@coopblade) February 13, 2020
This is from Arthur’s Seat about an hour ago. Like the eye of Mordor. pic.twitter.com/rpLijlX1NT
— Alan Mackie (@Oldmanmackie) February 13, 2020
A Mossmorran spokesman said the process of restarting the plant was “safe and controlled”.
He said: “There is no fire at the Fife Ethylene Plant.
“Fire Services are not in attendance.
“We are using our flare as part of an operational process.
“Our team are working to reduce both the size and duration of the flare.
“We apologis
We were out last night and tonight monitoring this. The pm2.5 readings tonight are 3 times higher than last night! #Mossmorran pic.twitter.com/Qc8SD8CyGo
— Donna 🏴🇪🇺 (@Donna196652) February 13, 2020
Around six miles from #Mossmorran here, and the light pollution is unreal pic.twitter.com/gDjKKD83Pp
— Tom Freeman (@TomFreemanSGP) February 13, 2020
No that’s not the #sunset…That orange glow in the sky is the latest #Mossmorran flaring as seen from 20+ miles away in #Cupar this evening @MossFlare pic.twitter.com/ZLW6pT6eRc
— Michael Alexander (@C_MAlexander) February 11, 2020
The view from Dunfermline tonight. I can’t even imagine what it’s like in Cowdenbeath or Lochgelly @MossFlare #Mossmorran pic.twitter.com/svHDCxNCCn
— Mags Hall (@MagsSGP) February 13, 2020
This is it in Cowdenbeath tonight pic.twitter.com/0UYYbD2TAi
— Donna 🏴🇪🇺 (@Donna196652) February 11, 2020
40 miles away just outside Monifieth! pic.twitter.com/O0zBigMqQ6
— Chris Lewis (@cpb_lewis) February 13, 2020
Always sunny in Fife #mossmorran @scotgov @NicolaSturgeon pic.twitter.com/fL7AJV2se2
— Lynne Watson (@lynnewhatson) February 13, 2020
so uh… we can see #Mossmorran from Edinburgh. this is definitely fine. pic.twitter.com/VE4UQxhVnB
— Alasdair (@themyscrian) February 13, 2020
We were out last night and tonight monitoring this. The pm2.5 readings tonight are 3 times higher than last night! #Mossmorran pic.twitter.com/Qc8SD8CyGo
— Donna 🏴🇪🇺 (@Donna196652) February 13, 2020
Around six miles from #Mossmorran here, and the light pollution is unreal pic.twitter.com/gDjKKD83Pp
— Tom Freeman (@TomFreemanSGP) February 13, 2020
Stuff your aurora borealis! Come to Fife and see the aurora mossmorran! #stripthetitles pic.twitter.com/BTQHpYbWM8
— HAMPDEN IN THE SUN (@markyb1888) February 13, 2020
I passed #Mossmorran main gate 30 mins ago & the flaring was the most intense I've ever seen.
Although we've been assured by @exxonmobil_fep & @ScottishEPA that the restart is progressing well & as safely as possible, I'm sure we all want this to end at the earliest opportunity. pic.twitter.com/MaqW21Sbf1
— Cllr Darren Watt 🏴🇬🇧 (@CllrDarrenWatt) February 13, 2020
40 miles away just outside Monifieth! pic.twitter.com/O0zBigMqQ6
— Chris Lewis (@cpb_lewis) February 13, 2020
Last week too…. happens loads pic.twitter.com/xfYlAfSJJA
— Coop 🏴 (@coopblade) February 13, 2020
This is from Arthur’s Seat about an hour ago. Like the eye of Mordor. pic.twitter.com/rpLijlX1NT
— Alan Mackie (@Oldmanmackie) February 13, 2020
A Mossmorran spokesman said the process of restarting the plant was “safe and controlled”.
He said: “There is no fire at the Fife Ethylene Plant.
“Fire Services are not in attendance.
“We are using our flare as part of an operational process.
“Our team are working to reduce both the size and duration of the flare.
“We apolog
Around six miles from #Mossmorran here, and the light pollution is unreal pic.twitter.com/gDjKKD83Pp
— Tom Freeman (@TomFreemanSGP) February 13, 2020
No that’s not the #sunset…That orange glow in the sky is the latest #Mossmorran flaring as seen from 20+ miles away in #Cupar this evening @MossFlare pic.twitter.com/ZLW6pT6eRc
— Michael Alexander (@C_MAlexander) February 11, 2020
The view from Dunfermline tonight. I can’t even imagine what it’s like in Cowdenbeath or Lochgelly @MossFlare #Mossmorran pic.twitter.com/svHDCxNCCn
— Mags Hall (@MagsSGP) February 13, 2020
This is it in Cowdenbeath tonight pic.twitter.com/0UYYbD2TAi
— Donna 🏴🇪🇺 (@Donna196652) February 11, 2020
40 miles away just outside Monifieth! pic.twitter.com/O0zBigMqQ6
— Chris Lewis (@cpb_lewis) February 13, 2020
Always sunny in Fife #mossmorran @scotgov @NicolaSturgeon pic.twitter.com/fL7AJV2se2
— Lynne Watson (@lynnewhatson) February 13, 2020
so uh… we can see #Mossmorran from Edinburgh. this is definitely fine. pic.twitter.com/VE4UQxhVnB
— Alasdair (@themyscrian) February 13, 2020
https://twitter.com/Donna196652/status/1228070191680172032
Around six miles from #Mossmorran here, and the light pollution is unreal pic.twitter.com/gDjKKD83Pp
— Tom Freeman (@TomFreemanSGP) February 13, 2020
Stuff your aurora borealis! Come to Fife and see the aurora mossmorran! #stripthetitles pic.twitter.com/BTQHpYbWM8
— HAMPDEN IN THE SUN (@markyb1888) February 13, 2020
I passed #Mossmorran main gate 30 mins ago & the flaring was the most intense I've ever seen.
Although we've been assured by @exxonmobil_fep & @ScottishEPA that the restart is progressing well & as safely as possible, I'm sure we all want this to end at the earliest opportunity. pic.twitter.com/MaqW21Sbf1
— Cllr Darren Watt 🏴🇬🇧 (@CllrDarrenWatt) February 13, 2020
40 miles away just outside Monifieth! pic.twitter.com/O0zBigMqQ6
— Chris Lewis (@cpb_lewis) February 13, 2020
Last week too…. happens loads pic.twitter.com/xfYlAfSJJA
— Coop 🏴 (@coopblade) February 13, 2020
This is from Arthur’s Seat about an hour ago. Like the eye of Mordor. pic.twitter.com/rpLijlX1NT
— Alan Mackie (@Oldmanmackie) February 13, 2020
A Mossmorran spokesman said the process of restarting the plant was “safe and controlled”.
He said: “There is no fire at the Fife Ethylene Plant.
“Fire Services are not in attendance.
“We are using our flare as part of an operational process.
“Our team are working to reduce both the size and duration of the flare.
“We apologise
40 miles away just outside Monifieth! pic.twitter.com/O0zBigMqQ6
— Chris Lewis (@cpb_lewis) February 13, 2020
Always sunny in Fife #mossmorran @scotgov @NicolaSturgeon pic.twitter.com/fL7AJV2se2
— Lynne Watson (@lynnewhatson) February 13, 2020
so uh… we can see #Mossmorran from Edinburgh. this is definitely fine. pic.twitter.com/VE4UQxhVnB
— Alasdair (@themyscrian) February 13, 2020
We were out last night and tonight monitoring this. The pm2.5 readings tonight are 3 times higher than last night! #Mossmorran pic.twitter.com/Qc8SD8CyGo
— Donna 🏴🇪🇺 (@Donna196652) February 13, 2020
Around six miles from #Mossmorran here, and the light pollution is unreal pic.twitter.com/gDjKKD83Pp
— Tom Freeman (@TomFreemanSGP) February 13, 2020
Stuff your aurora borealis! Come to Fife and see the aurora mossmorran! #stripthetitles pic.twitter.com/BTQHpYbWM8
— HAMPDEN IN THE SUN (@markyb1888) February 13, 2020
I passed #Mossmorran main gate 30 mins ago & the flaring was the most intense I've ever seen.
Although we've been assured by @exxonmobil_fep & @ScottishEPA that the restart is progressing well & as safely as possible, I'm sure we all want this to end at the earliest opportunity. pic.twitter.com/MaqW21Sbf1
— Cllr Darren Watt 🏴🇬🇧 (@CllrDarrenWatt) February 13, 2020
40 miles away just outside Monifieth! pic.twitter.com/O0zBigMqQ6
— Chris Lewis (@cpb_lewis) February 13, 2020
Last week too…. happens loads pic.twitter.com/xfYlAfSJJA
— Coop 🏴 (@coopblade) February 13, 2020
This is from Arthur’s Seat about an hour ago. Like the eye of Mordor. pic.twitter.com/rpLijlX1NT
— Alan Mackie (@Oldmanmackie) February 13, 2020
A Mossmorran spokesman said the process of restarting the plant was “safe and controlled”.
He said: “There is no fire at the Fife Ethylene Plant.
“Fire Services are not in attendance.
“We are using our flare as part of an operational process.
“Our team are working to reduce both the size and duration of the flare.
“We apologise to communities for any concern that we may have caused.”
