A fire in a paper factory in Jisr al-Basha, Metn district on 23 Oct.2024. (Credit: NNA)
Five female workers were killed after a large fire broke out at a paper factory in the Sika building in Jisr al-Basha, Metn district, on Wednesday morning, L'Orient Today's correspondent in the North reported.
Civil Defense teams rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the fire and began working to contain and extinguish the flames.
The fire reportedly started on the first floor of the factory, where barrels of thinner were stored, L'Orient Today's correspondent reported. Several of these barrels exploded after the fire reached them, resulting in thick smoke that rose to the upper floors, where five female employees were found dead due to suffocation. One worker was injured.
The Red Cross and other emergency responders worked to rescue those trapped inside and transport the bodies of the deceased to Baabda Governmental Hospital, while the injured were also taken to the hospital. Residents called for more reinforcements, fearing the fire could spread to other parts of the building, which contains highly flammable materials, according to the state-run National News Agency.
Civil Defense Director General Raymond Khattar told MTV Lebanon that "several workers who were trapped in the factory have been rescued," adding that efforts are still ongoing to free others who may be trapped and to fully extinguish the fire.
The incident follows another fire in the Metn district on Tuesday, where a blaze in the forests of Rabweh reignited after being extinguished the day before. Strong winds and difficult terrain contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, prompting Civil Defense and the Lebanese Army to deploy helicopters to contain it. The high winds hindered operations, leading to several injuries among firefighters.
Reporting contributed by Michel Hallak.
