Enormous fire consumes plastic factory in Alto Hospicio

IQUIQUE.- A giant fire has been reported at the Polytex factory located in the El Boro area of Alto Hospicio. The factory produces pipes for mining use, as well as plastic containers, which are made of highly flammable material.

The fire reportedly began at around 7:00 AM today in a warehouse belonging to the company.  Given the magnitude of the flames, three Iquique fire-fighting departments were dispatched to the scene along with additional water trucks to fight the blaze, which still remains uncontrolled.

The toxic smoke emitted by the fire has caused some Alto Hospicio schools, such as Academia Iquique, to be evacuated, while a safety parameter has been set up around the building.

Additionally, the OREMI (Regional Emergency Office) and the health service have begun to distribute breathing masks to all residents of El Boro.

The smoke column is currently some 700 meters high and is being blown by the wind to the northeast, covering the city of Iquique.

Concerning the origin of the fire, witnesses have stated that they saw two individuals in a white vehicle throw a fiery artifact towards the factory warehouse.