Fire, Explosions Rage in Plastics Factory

A roiling, spiralling plume of black smoke resembling a tornado spread out over Limassol this evening as a fire burned out of control in Yiannoplast's industrial plant in Ypsonas.

The heavy smoke obscured the setting sun and the fire looked set to blaze on into the night, defying firefighters' efforts to subdue it. As continuous explosions rocked the plastics facility, the flames reached higher, threatening other factories in the industrial area.

The smoke is full of toxic chemicals and police have warned people to stay away from the area. By 8.30pm the firefighters had managed to get the fire under control.

According to firefighters in the neighboring firestation, the blaze started at 3.30pm.

A police spokeswoman said that workers discovered metal barrels on fire in the factory yard, and the fire quickly spread to the rest of the plant. At this point, investigators do not know how the fire started in the metal barrels: "we are investigating but have to wait until the heat has died down before we can enter the factory," said the spokeswoman.