A fire broke out at a major industrial park in the northern port city of Hai Phong late Sunday and ravaged a plant run by a Chinese candle manufacturer for almost nine hours. No human casualties have been reported as of press time.
By the time firefighters managed to put out the blaze at 3 a.m. Monday, it had already flattened the 40,000-square meter (430,550 square-feet) candle factory, run by Aroma Bay Candles in Duong Kinh Industrial Park.
According to eyewitnesses, the blaze broke out at around 7:30 p.m. Sunday and spread to consume the entire plant. Some 300 firefighters were dispatched to the scene but inflammables stored at the plant deterred firefighting efforts, authorities said.
Further investigations are underway, according to the authorities, with electrical short-circuit suspected to be main cause.
Aroma Bay Candles, set up in 2004, makes candles that are mainly exported to the American and European markets.
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