Dubai warehouse blaze under control

Firefighters are tackling a huge blaze which badly damaged a warehouse near Dubai Refreshments in Sheikh Zayed Road.

Firefighters pull the hose towards the burning United Foods Plant in Al Qouz, Dubai, on Monday, June 28, 2010 .

DUBAI// Firefighters this morning were tackling a huge blaze that badly damaged a warehouse near Dubai Refreshments in Sheikh Zayed Road. Four branches of Dubai Civil Defence were called to the scene, near Interchange 2, at about 2.30am. Civil defence men on a retractable arm were still dousing the flames with a mixture of water and foam at 10 am. Plumes of white smoke rose from the smouldering metal corrugated roof that had melted with the heat. The fire is understood to have started in one warehouse, part of multiple oil and chemical storage warehouses, of the United Foods Company in Al Quoz. The factory produces Aseel ghee, Safi oil, margarine and Nawar cheese and butter. Captain Ahmed al Kindi of the al Quoz precinct of Dubai Civil Defence said there were no injuries because the facility was shut when the fire began. "We got a call about the fire about 2.30, we were here all night, but we have stopped it." A total of 20 firefighters were involved in fighting the fire. Mr Kindi said the cause of the fire would be known after police completed their investigation. Firefighters used a mixture of fire and foam to douse the flames because of the oil content in the fire. "We have to use foam to put out the fire because of the oil," said Mr Kindi. He said their strategy was to contain contain the fire in the warehouse so that it would not spread to adjacent warehouses. [e-mail]