Looking back... Quarry blast rocks Ballyclare

The incident in 1965 was reported to the RUC and the Ministry of Commerce by the local urban council.

At a meeting with the town clerk, a spokesman from the quarry said that there was “nothing” the company could do.

As a result, the council decided to write to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

A report in the East Antrim Times indicated that the quarry operator stressed that the facility was being “operated in the normal way”.

It was also reported that the quantity of explosive being used was less than normal and that the force of the blast was “an isolated incident”.