Authorities investigating the fire that erupted in two factories including a chemical storage plant at the Homagama Katuwana Industrial Zone are urging residents in the area to use the water sources with utmost caution since there is a danger of chemical particles from the plants entering the water streams in the area. They also advise the residents to wear face masks as the toxic fumes may spread over the area from the fire.
Central Environmental Authority and National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) officials said this after starting investigations into the fire that broke out on Thursday night at a factory that imports chemical liquid and distributes them in the country. A CEA Spokesman said a team of CEA officers went to the place for an on-site investigation and began investigations yesterday.
This fire has erupted in a warehouse of a factory where chemicals are imported and distributed. Later, it spread to an adjacent building and started the fire.Two buildings were destroyed by fire. There was an explosion along with the fire in the chemical storage. Heavy smoke has been released into the environment until later. This may cause air pollution, but the situation is under control now. In view of this situation, the people in the vicinity who use the water sources are requested to be careful and carry out their daily activities by wearing face masks to avoid harmful smoke. The factory where the fire erupted is not registered with the Central Environment Authority. Therefore, we hope to take legal action against them in the future. A Spokesman from the NBRO said if it erupted in a place where chemicals are stored, they are definitely released into the atmosphere.What we do is to check whether the toxic air released is harmful to the surrounding environment. Accordingly, our officials arrived within two hours of the incident and began investigations, but we have been informed that no toxic air containing chemical particles has been released to the environment at a significant level.
Once the fire is extinguished, the toxic air will disappear completely. Until the current situation is restored, the surrounding people are requested to wear face masks and engage in daily activities with care. Police said that fire fighters succeeded in completely dousing fire that erupted at the chemical factory within seven hours.
Over ten fire engines belonging to Kotte, Dehiwala and Horana Municipal Councils were deployed to douse the fire.