A massive fire broke out at a rubber factory in the Giza district of Faisal, on Sunday, but no civilian injuries have been reported. The Civil Protection Forces are still working to extinguish the fire, which has lasted for more than 15 hours.
According to an eyewitness, the fire started at 10pm on Saturday evening, and had initially been extinguished by firefighters. The fire restarted, however, and the building’s residents were evacuated.
The eyewitness said that the fire was caused by an increased pressure on the factory’s machinery. He added that the fire appeared to have consumed the plastic and other flammable materials used in production.
Footage circulated on social media showed flames and plumes of thick, black smoke rising over the three-storey factory.
Another two residential buildings close to the factory were also evacuated, as the fire extended over an area of 1,000 metres.
Local media reported that the Civil Protection Forces in Giza were not able to completely extinguish the fire, due to the presence of flammable materials inside the factory.
Security forces, who have been working to extinguish the fire, cordoned off the area to prevent it from spreading into other buildings. Several water tanks and eight fire engines were immediately dispatched to the scene to control the fire.
It was reported that three members of the Civil Protection Forces were injured during their efforts to put out the fire.
The initial inspection of the factory indicated that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit on the factory’s first floor.
