Goods destroyed in Gazimağusa port warehouse blaze
ALCOHOLIC drinks, cigarettes and medicine were destroyed in a huge blaze at a warehouse in the Gazimağusa Free Port area on Monday.
Police said the fire started at around 6pm in a warehouse where imported goods were stored.
By the time firefıghters and other crews arrived on the scene, the fire had already engulfed the building but it was prevented from spreading to an adjacent warehouse. Flames and smoke could be seen from around Gazimağusa. The fire was brought under control later during the night with cooling operations continuing into Tuesday. The police said that an investigation into the cause of the fire has been launched.
Speaking to Cyprus Today’s sister newspaper
Kıbrıs, Ports Authority director Hasan Curcioğlu said that he rushed to the scene as soon as he heard the news of the fire.
Mr Curcioğlu praised the “great efforts” of firefighters, the police, soldiers, and civilians to prevent the fire spreading to the second warehouse.
A statement issued by
the police said the warehouse was owned by a company called PortİSBİ Cyprus Free Zone and that it had been leased to several other companies.
PortİSBİ Cyprus Free Zone director Eregenekon Küçük told BRT TV that he believed the fire started from an electrical socket.
He added that the warehouse
was insured and that the exact losses would be determined after the completion
of an assessment of the damage.
Mr Küçük thanked all those who helped to put out the blaze and said it was a relief that no-one lost their lives.