Fire at Polotsk flax mill destroyed over 80 tons of flax straw

October 12, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. A fire at the Polotsk flax mill destroyed more than 80 tons of flax straw, the press secretary of the Vitebsk regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations Marina Fando told a BELTA correspondent. A report about a blaze in the flax mill area was received on the operational duty desk late at night via mobile phone from a local resident. By the time rescuers arrived, the fire had engulfed the entire shed with flax straw, which is a metal frame canopy measuring 30 m by 60 m and 6 m high. The spread of the flames was facilitated by strong gusty winds, which carried burning flax straw around the factory premises and posed a real threat of igniting adjacent facilities. The entire staff of the Polotsk Ministry of Emergency Situations and several crews from Novopolotsk were involved in extinguishing the fire, with 12 units of equipment involved. Thanks to the professionalism of the rescuers, the flames were localized, and the ignition of three other sheds located in close proximity to the burning facility, where 600 tons of flax straw were stored, was prevented. The fire destroyed 81 tons of raw materials and damaged 119 tons. According to preliminary data, the damage amounted to more than Br15 million. At the time of the fire, the factory was not operating, and its security was carried out by one watchman. The suspected cause of the incident is arson. The guilty person is being identified by employees of the Polotsk District Department of Internal Affairs. -0-