Gardai are now treating as suspicious the discovery of human remains in a waste recycling plant in Ballyfermot late on Thursday night.

The resources of a full murder inquiry are being deployed for the investigation as Gardai grow increasingly concerned that foul-play could be behind the grim find.

Expand Close Thorntons Recycling Plant Kileen Rd Ballyfermot where a Human leg was found overnight / Facebook

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No clothing was found close to the body parts.

The discovery of a leg by a shocked worker at the Thorntons plant on Killeen Road was yesterday followed by other body parts found by gardai in ongoing follow-up searches.

Expand Close Thorntons Recycling Plant Kileen Rd Ballyfermot where a human leg was found overnight / Facebook

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The first of the gruesome discoveries was made last night at the Thorntons recycling plant on Killeen Road in Ballyfermot.

Gardai were called to the scene as soon as the discovery was made, along with a doctor who confirmed the limb as being human.

Expand Close Thorntons Recycling Plant Kileen Rd Ballyfermot where a Human leg was found overnight. / Facebook

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Work at the site was stopped so that a further search could take place to try and find the rest of the body from which the limb came.

Gardai have since discovered part of what is believed to be a pelvis and an arm while searching at the site this morning.

Expand Close The body parts are removed from the scene at the Thorntons Recycling plant on Kileen Road, Ballyfermot Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin / Facebook

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Whatsapp The body parts are removed from the scene at the Thorntons Recycling plant on Kileen Road, Ballyfermot

It could not be confirmed early today if the leg was from a man or a woman.

While gardai are keeping an open mind one avenue being investigated is that the leg could be from a homeless person who may have been sleeping rough in a bin somewhere in the city.

There have been instances before where homeless people sleeping in bins have been crushed in bin lorries, as well as occasions where homeless people have been rescued from the jaws of the mechanical crushers after being tipped into them from bins.

Another theory was that the remains could be medical waste that was not incinerated but somehow ended up in the rubbish system, but as extra body parts were discovered this morning this theory looked less likely.

Another more sinister theory is that the remains could have been dumped in a bin following a murder.

A spokesperson for Thorntons was unavailable for comment early this morning, and gardai said that while the investigation is at an early stage they are keeping an open mind about how the limb ended up in the rubbish.

Sources say the worker who found the limb and raised the alarm will be offered counselling.

Online Editors