CHILE – Fire at Panimex chemical plant in Quilicura brought under control after 10 hours

A major fire at the Panimex chemical plant in Quilicura, north of Santiago, Chile, was brought under control early Wednesday after more than 10 hours of firefighting. Authorities suspended classes across the municipality and advised residents to stay away from the area because of smoke from the blaze.

The fire broke out at around 9:36 p.m. Tuesday at the company’s facility near Route 5 North. Panimex produces and sells raw materials for the plastics and chemical industries, including plasticizers, phthalic anhydride and fumaric acid.

More than 300 volunteer firefighters and approximately 40 fire trucks were deployed to the scene. Crews faced particularly challenging conditions because of the hazardous substances stored at the facility, while several explosions were reported during the emergency.

According to preliminary information, an ammonia leak may have been responsible for starting the fire. Firefighters worked throughout the night to contain the flames and prevent the incident from spreading.

Fire brought under control

At approximately 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Carlos Cid, commander of the Quilicura Fire Department, said the fire had been brought under control. However, he warned that firefighters would remain at the site for several more hours to extinguish remaining hotspots and prevent the flames from returning.

Cid also highlighted concerns about the smoke and remaining toxic substances around the facility. He urged people traveling through the area to take precautions. Light winds helped prevent the smoke from spreading more widely to other municipalities in northern Santiago.

Firefighters who attended the emergency reported difficulties obtaining clear information about the materials inside the plant. They said the absence of the company’s risk-prevention officer made it more difficult to coordinate the response and determine how workers and emergency crews should handle the hazardous substances.

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