Factory blaze gives firemen a hard time

A fire broke out inside the Foster Clark factory at the San Ġwann Industrial Estate on Wednesday night, taking fire fighters four hours to bring it under control.

No one was injured in the blaze, which took hold in a section of the foodstuffs factory where a quantity of products was stored, ready to be exported.

Personnel from the Civil Protection Department had their work interrupted because they needed to protect the building from ventilation - the strong wind on the night would have caused havoc in other sections of the factory, a CPD spokesman said.

He said the firemen managed to confine the blaze to the section where it originated. They detected the fire hot spots through the use of closed circuit cameras and removed the products around it to create an open space known as a fire break where the fire could rage on.

The strategy also helped to minimise damage from the water pumped by the firemen.

Workers inside the factory were evacuated. They reportedly told firemen that the flames were ignited when sparks showered carton boxes from a neon tube that had short circuited.

The factory, which produces various food and beverage products including baking powder, juices and non-alcoholic beverages, is owned by Francis Busuttil & Sons Co. Ltd. It is one of three which the company operates in San Ġwann.

Last month a warehouse in Sta Venera belonging to the same company was destroyed in a fire that raged on for several hours before being brought under control.

The warehouse, situated between Misraħ Sta Venera and Misraħ il-Barrieri, contained groceries, household goods and toiletries.

No one from Francis Busuttil & Sons Co. Ltd was available to comment, yesterday.

Magistrate Audrey Demicoli is holding an inquiry.

The fire-fighting operation was under the direction of operations manager Tony Pisani and station manager Tonio Portelli.