QCOSTARICA – It was around 5:30 pm Wednesday when alarm bells went off of the first at the Emapaques Santa Ana plant in Coyol, Alajuela, which took 15 units and some 50 firefighters to bring the fire under control.
The preliminary report detailed that the structure comprises 10,000 m2, however, the latest report said the flames have expanded to consume an area of 18,000 m2 (193,000 sq fr).
The Crus Roja (Red Cross) reported that two patients were taken to the hospital in critical condition, and three others were treated on site and did not require going to a medical center. Two advanced support units and three basic support units were mobilized to the scene.
Witnesses reported that the column of smoke reached more than 100 meters and could be seen from kilometers away.
Strong winds complicated the work, threatening that the fire could spread to neighboring areas.
#ACTUALIZACION
Nuestro Director General Hector Chaves, nos actualiza la información sobre esta emergencia https://t.co/hixTPAWeBH pic.twitter.com/Fq8YsT8zg0— Bomberos Costa Rica (@BomberosCR) February 24, 2022
The second fire in less than two years
This same place suffered a major fire in 2020, listed at the time as “the largest in the last 10 years.” The fire in May 2020 occurred shortly after the company relocated its operations in Santa Ana to Coyol.
Read more: It took 72 hours to put out the Coyol fire.
Photos from Bomberos and social networks:
