A spectacular fire has been unleashed this afternoon inside the horticultural plant 'fruits escobar', in the vicinity of Mérida, specifically on km. 348 of the Madrid-Lisboa highway. Fire, which has been generated between 5:00 pm and 6:00 p.m., has forced to vacate about 300 workers who were at the headquarters of the company at that time, where they were stored - in plastic pallets - the seasonal fruit , which has expanded with great speed forming a large column of smoke that has been seen from several locations of the province of Badajoz.
According to the first calculations, more than 5 million kilos of fruit could have been lost and the origin could have been a short in one of the machines of the factory, which is between Mérida and the neighboring towns of Calamonte and Arroyo de San Serván .
The manager of the Horthphuticultural Central, Natalio Caballero, has explained in Extremadura Radio channel that tried at first turning off by his own means of fire extinguishers, but it was not possible because it was extended with great speed inside the central ship From the company: "What is clear is that nothing will be, and there were five or six million kilos of fruit inside, which is already melted."
The danger by the presence of flammable fluids and fuels has caused the rapid evacuation of the workers who at that time were within the ships. In this sense, Juan Carlos Bermejo, head of the Mérida Fire Park, has explained that fire is very dangerous by the presence of hydrogen peroxide, a very harmful chemical compound.
At the close of this news, a coordination meeting was being celebrated to evaluate the form of work to end the fire. According to the terms, it could still take several hours to be able to control it. It has been reported that more than 30 troops of seven fire parks of the Diputación de Badajoz will work during the night. In addition, it has been confirmed that you do not have to regret personal injury or relevant health interventions.
Due to the expectation created in the area, the emergency service 112 has requested the population "a lot of caution" and that citizens do not come close to the incident area "to let the fire extinction work. Likewise, Extremadura Red Cross has reported that, with the arrival of the sunset, the air means that work in the area are withdrawn and the firefighters of the different displaced parks will continue to work.
The Extremadura Board activated, at 19,50 hours, the Territorial Civil Protection Plan of Extremadura (PLATERCAEX) by risks to the population and the isolated buildings close to that fire.
In extinction they work now nine units of firefighters from the Diputación de Badajoz, plus their manager and a head of duty; In addition to an InfoEx Plan, Effective Police, Civil Guard and a Civil Protection Technician of the Board.
'Frutes Escobar' is a cooperative society founded in 1993 that is dedicated to wholesale trade of fruits and vegetables.
Date Of Update: 26 August 2021, 19:08
