A fire at an Arab Toshiba factory in Quesna that produced refridgerators has injured about 500 workers there, witnesses said Saturday afternoon.
Most of those injured suffered respiratory problems from the smoke or broken bones due to the stampede of workers as they tried to evacuated the building. Ambulances transported the wounded to nearby Quesna hospitals.
According to witnesses, two dozen fire engines and more than 100 ambulances arrived on the scene of the fire, which began sometime around 4:30pm.
Governor of Monufiya AshrafHelal said that two Armed Forces planes had also been dispatched to combat the flames.
Ministry of Defense authorities expressed fears that the flames could spread, due to the chemical Freon that is used in the production of the company’s refridgerators.
Major GeneralSherif Bakbashi, director of security forces, was notified of the fires in the third industrial center of Monofiya by Quesna officials.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
