Dozens of fish factory workers whose livelihoods were thrown into doubt by a catastrophic blaze attended a drop in session in Peterhead yesterday.
More than 200 people are employed at the Northbay Pelagic plant, many of them on temporary contracts.
Yesterday Aberdeenshire Council officers were joined by experts from Citizens Advice and Jobcentre Plus at the Hot Spot to offer confidential advice to employees worried about their jobs.
Community workers were also on hand to refer staff who are struggling to feed their families to a foodbank set up by a local church group Joseph Storehouse and supermarket giant Morrisons.
Banff and Buchan MP Eilidh Whiteford, who flew in from London yesterday morning, met factory workers at the Hot Spot, yards from the site of the fire.
She said: “I am reassured that multi-agency support is being put in place quickly for all affected and my own office also stands ready to assist wherever possible.”
It is understood Northbay Pelagic staff were given information about employment rights, and how to seek support if their jobs are lost.
Earlier this week the council’s head of economic development Belinda Miller said: “Over the coming days we will be working with them, the Scottish Government, other agencies and companies in the area to assist in any way we can.”
Emergency services were praised in the aftermath of Saturday’s blaze, which burned for more than 10 hours and almost spread to a large tank of ammonia.
Concerns quickly turned to the prospect of job losses at the firm. Management met staff on Monday and are expected to do so again early next week.
A government task force made up of officials from Holyrood, Aberdeenshire Council and Scottish Enterprise is due to meet in Aberdeen today to discuss the future of the firm and what role the public sector can play.
Last night a fire service spokeswoman said a joint investigation with the police into the cause of the fire was still ongoing.