AJMAN - Goods worth millions of dirhams were gutted but there were no casualties in a massive fire in a rubber factory in Ajman on Monday morning.The fire started at the 15-year-old World Rubber Factory in the New Ajman Industrial Area at around 9am and spread quickly as barrels of petroleum and chemicals exploded.
“This is the first fire accident in the history of the factory,” a factory official said. “The loss is huge. It can exceed Dh50 million.”
Brigadier Salih Al Matroushi, Director-General of Ajman Civil Defence, told Khaleej Times firefighters and the police evacuated the factory, neighbouring labour accommodation units and warehouses. The area was cordoned off.
As many as 115 Civil Defence personnel were pressed into service. They managed to save the files and documents of the factory and prevented the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings.
Al Matroushi said the factory stood on a 250m x 150m plot and had management offices, warehouses for raw materials and finished goods, and a workshop.
Brigadier Ali Alwan, Director-General of Ajman Police, said the fire was put out by 2pm and police and forensic experts will start investigation after cooling operations are concluded.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com
