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Fire at Galapa plastics factory causes material losses, affects workers
🇨🇴 Colombia /Disasters & Emergencies

Fire at Galapa plastics factory causes material losses, affects workers

From El Tiempo · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • A large fire broke out at a plastics factory in the Zofia Free Trade Zone in Galapa, Colombia, causing material losses.
  • Firefighters from Barranquilla and Galapa worked for hours to control the blaze, which affected several workers who inhaled smoke.
  • No fatalities were reported, and the affected workers received medical attention.

A major fire erupted at the Oben Group plastics factory in the Zofia Free Trade Zone in Galapa, Atlántico, on Saturday afternoon, engulfing a significant portion of the industrial plant and causing substantial material damage.

Fire departments from Galapa and Barranquilla launched a large-scale operation, battling the flames for several hours before bringing the conflagration under control. The incident prompted moments of anxiety among factory workers and residents in nearby areas. Fortunately, authorities confirmed that no lives were lost in the blaze.

The priority was to preserve the lives of those at the scene and contain the spread of the fire.

— Emergency servicesDescribing the main objectives during the firefighting operation.

The preliminary report indicates that several workers were treated for smoke inhalation at local medical facilities. These individuals did not suffer serious injuries, and no one was reported missing within the facility. The fire occurred at a company specializing in the production of polypropylene, polyester, and nylon films, which serve as raw materials for various industries.

Lieutenant Edwin Pacheco of the Barranquilla Fire Department stated that the primary objective throughout the operation was to ensure the safety of individuals within the industrial complex and prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent facilities. The coordinated efforts successfully contained the fire around 9:15 p.m., eliminating the risk of further propagation.

Three fire engines were sent to reinforce the control efforts.

— Barranquilla Fire DepartmentDetailing the resources deployed to combat the fire.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Tiempo in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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