Fire at paper plant continues to blaze

SANTIAGO.- Firefighting departments from various sectors of Santiago continue working to extinguish the fire that has been affecting the Cordillera paper plant, belonging to the Compañía Manufacturera de Papeles, in the municipality of Puente Alto.

"Firefighters will be working until everything is put out; I am working with all of them. We hope to control it because there is a lot of combustion when we lift materials", Commander Miguel Silva told Radio ADN.

More than 100 volunteers from 12 Firefighting Departments worked all night to combat the blaze that is currently affecting the company located in the southern sector of the capital city. As of this morning, firefighters have ruled out the possibility of the flames spreading further.

Six volunteer firefighters were injured in the incident. The most severe injury was that of a man who reportedly sprained his ankle and suffered significant bruising to his thigh, prompting him to be taken to a medical facility for treatment.

In an attempt to support the work being done by firefighters, officials from the National Emergency Office (Onemi) have also arrived at the scene with water tank trucks and police spray-carts.

It is believed that the fire was caused by an electrical failure, although confirmation remains pending on the results of an investigation being carried out by the Technical Department of Firefighters.