FIREFIGHTERS have contained a massive warehouse fire in Wangara, but the blaze is not yet under control.
A food factory on Finlay Place was engulfed in flames and plumes of black smoke were seen billowing from the warehouse in the light industrial suburb in Perth’s north.
The fire raged for more than six hours after it broke out at 10.20am at the Fiesta Foods warehouse, which is a tinned food factory.
More than 80 firefighters worked to control a toxic factory fire in Wangara, at Fiesta Foods. Picture: Daniel Wilkins.
Superintendent Craig Waters of DFES said there were 20 crews in attendance with about 80 firefighters at the peak of the blaze.
“It was a fairly dynamic fire and we were unable to gain access to inside the building so we have been protecting exposures and doing what we can from the external side of the building,” Supt Waters said.
“There were a lot of foam products inside the building, PVS and plastics that were very volatile”.
The toxicity of the smoke had been an issue but officials say it was rising and distributing well. Picture Daniel Wilkins.
Supt Waters said the intensity of the fire made it impossible to get inside the building.
“The intensity of the fire stipulated it was defensive firefighting only and to protect exposures. We had other premises around the building which the crews were able to defend,” he said.
The fire and investigation unit will conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire.
It’s understood the owner of Fiesta Foods, Mike Sikaloski, has run the company for 30 years and had been in the factory since 2006.
Fiesta Foods business owner Mike Sikaloski speaks with DFES officials. Picture: Daniel Wilkins
Supt Waters said the fire would be a “total loss” for the premises with damage estimated in the millions.
Ken Raine from the Department of Environmental Regulation said officers had been concerned about the toxicity of the smoke.
“We’ve been monitoring downwind and luckily the smoke has been rising and distributing quite well. The readings at ground level have been below the health standards,” he said.
Mr Raine said he was not aware of any reports of asbestos.
“The smoke plume from the fire would be toxic however it’s dissipating well. We’ve been doing air monitoring from about ten minutes after the call from DFES and we’ll continue until the fire is out,” he said.
Source
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