11-hour blaze razes Navotas candy factory

A FIRE which broke out in a candy factory in Navotas City on Sunday night was finally declared under control after raging for nearly 11 hours, according to fire officials.

As of 5:30 p.m. on Monday, however, the blaze that hit the Columbia Candy Factory Co. in San Rafael Village had yet to be put out, FO1 JP Ricardo of the Navotas City Fire Station told the Inquirer.

Based on the initial investigation conducted by the city’s Bureau of Fire Protection, the blaze started at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday at the ground floor of the factory on J.L. Escoda Street Riverside.

The fire reached Task Force Echo with a total of 27 fire trucks from the city fire station sent to the scene. They were backed up by 25 additional fire trucks from neighboring areas.

Ricardo said the flames immediately spread to the second floor where candies, candy wrappers and various candy-making materials were kept. He added that the gas tanks on the third floor may have exploded, resulting in the fire getting bigger. No one was reported killed or hurt in the incident.

Ricardo said their investigation was still ongoing to identify the exact cause of the fire and the damage to property.