Workers from Murray Bridge’s Thomas Foods International abattoir have been invited to work at Teys Australia in Naracoorte

THOMAS Foods International workers have been invited to work temporarily at another major Australian abattoir in the South-East until the fire-damaged Murray Bridge plant is back up and running.

THOMAS Foods International workers have been invited to work temporarily at another major Australian abattoir in the South-East until the fire-damaged Murray Bridge plant is back up and running.

Queensland-based Teys Australia has offered Thomas Foods International staff the chance to pick up some work at its Naracoorte meat processing plant until their regular employment recommences.

On Wednesday night, Thomas Foods International’s boning room – a vital cog in the meat production chain – was destroyed by ferocious flames, sparked by a worker who was welding an offal bin.

Yesterday, firefighters and salvage crews worked through the smouldering, twisted remnants of that part of the facility.

Crews faced a difficult task of trying to access the basement to fully extinguish the blaze with excavators being brought in to tear away parts of the burnt building.

Excavators are brought in to work on the wreckage of the Thomas Foods International abattoir. Picture: Tait Schmaal

On Friday night, about 280 workers had visited a community information centre in Murray Bridge established to provide counselling and advice.

The majority were full-time, part-time or temporary employees seeking information on their future.

A further 23 calls had been made to a 24-hour hotline.

Thomas Foods International has vowed to rebuild at Murray Bridge but has not provided any public update on its operations on Friday or yesterday.

It said on Thursday that some workers would be redeployed to other sites, including Lobethal.

Teys Australia chief executive Brad Teys told the Sunday Mail that the company would do what it could to support Thomas Foods International and the industry.

The wreckage of the abattoir. Picture: Tait Schmaal

“We have made positions available at our Naracoorte plant to assist as many employees as we can during this difficult time,” he said.

“We are happy to put our hand up and help out because we know that something like this can happen to any company.

“Employees in the meat processing sector have specific skills and it’s not that easy for a lot of these workers to find alternative employment quickly.

“Naracoorte is a few hours away but in this industry many people go to where the work is, and they can return when the Thomas Foods plant resumes production.

“We hope this will bring some Christmas-season joy to a number of those workers facing a new year with no job.”

Emergency Services Minister Chris Picton has previously said the plant cannot be handed back to the Thomas family until the fire had been fully extinguished.

A full damage bill for the fire is yet to be determined.