A fire in a fuel tank at a dairy plant in Ribeira Grande in the Azores Islands on Friday left two workers injured and taken to a hospital, a fire official said.
The commander of the Ribeira Grande volunteer fire department on the island of Sao Miguel told Lusa news agency that the fire broke out at the Bel dairy plant at around 9:30 a.m. local time (10:30 a.m. in Lisbon) after “an explosion in a fuel tank.”
However, according to José Nuno, there were “two employees” of the factory nearby at the time who were “injured in the explosion.”
The two employees, who suffered serious burns, were treated at the scene and then taken to a medical facility, Ribeira Grande Fire Chief Luce told The Associated Press.
A source in the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service later informed Lusa that a third person had been injured and taken to the Ribeira Grande Medical Centre.
As for the other two wounded, they were taken to the CUF hospital in the city of Lagoa on the island of São Miguel.
Jose Nuno further explained that “in the first phase the fire was limited to the reservoir” and was considered extinguished around 11:00 local time (12:00 on the mainland).
Around 20 personnel from the Ribeira Grande Fire Department were involved in extinguishing the fire and providing assistance to the injured, supported by emergency ambulances (SIV) from Ponta Delgada and Ribeira Grande.
Firefighters deployed six vehicles to the scene.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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