A salmon smolt facility owned by Norway's Cermaq Group was attacked and set fire on Thursday around 1 pm local time.

The facility, located near the city of Temuco in Chile's ninth region, is being leased and operated by Chilean producer Salmones Yadran.

Cermaq Chile Managing Director Steven Rafferty and Salmones Yadran Commercial Director Vicente Swinburn confirmed the attack on the long-established hatchery to IntraFish.

"People entered armed with guns, set fire to several buildings, a house and other buildings and frightened workers into not doing anything to interfere," Rafferty said.