BOLIVIA – Firefighters Bring Major Paint Factory Blaze Under Control in Bolivia After Nearly 24 Hours
Firefighters in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, brought a major fire at a paint factory under control on Wednesday 29 July after an operation that lasted nearly 24 hours. The blaze occurred at the American Chemical plant in the Industrial Park of Santa Cruz, the country’s most populated region and a key economic centre.
The fire began on Tuesday at around 3:00 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. GMT). Authorities confirmed that there were no reports of injuries or fatalities following the incident.
The company announced on Wednesday afternoon that the emergency had been fully contained, praising the coordinated efforts of firefighters and other emergency teams who worked continuously to manage the situation. It also said a detailed technical investigation would be launched to determine the cause of the fire.
Santa Cruz Secretary of Citizen Security Paulo Viruez said emergency crews first concentrated on containing the flames to stop them from spreading to other parts of the industrial area. Firefighters later used specialised retardant foams and an F500 encapsulating agent after determining that water alone was not sufficient to extinguish the burning materials.
According to Viruez, the factory contained several hazardous and highly flammable substances, including solvents, methanol, gasoline, and stored paint products. The facility had approximately 12 storage tanks, three of which were directly affected by the fire. However, firefighters managed to prevent the flames from reaching the remaining tanks.
Police and members of the Santa Cruz Municipal Guard were deployed to establish a safety perimeter around the factory and prevent unauthorised access. Officials warned that smoke from the fire was toxic and advised people not to enter the area without appropriate protective equipment.
Environmental authorities also raised concerns about air quality following the incident. Juan Carlos Áñez, the municipality’s Director General of the Environment, said initial monitoring showed poor air conditions near the affected site. He urged residents and workers in the surrounding area to remain at least 600 metres away from the location and recommended using face masks as a precaution.
Photo credit: Dionisio Duran. All rights reserved.