Yeri residents on Monday are being urged to stay indoors due to health risks posed by inhalation of toxic smoke following the fire at a recycling plant which completely destroyed the facility.
The paper and plastics recycling factory in the community’s industrial area broke out on Sunday at 4.04pm the fire services announced.
Firefighting forces from the Nicosia fire stations, with eight fire engines, remained at the scene all night, spokesman Andrea Kettis told the CyBC.
Additional assistance was expected from Larnaca and Limassol as well as two tankers from the Nicosia district administration.
The facility had been empty and was not in operation and a single factory guard was on duty who noticed the fire and alerted authorities.
“There is not much that can be done with such types of materials other than guard against the fire spreading to neighbouring factories and installations,” Kettis said, adding that personnel from the various services will remain in the area for several days to monitor the situation.
The environmental, labour and meteorological departments have been alerted and are installing equipment to monitor and inform of air quality, Kettis said.
The fire services meanwhile issued instructions to residents of the affected areas, including Kallithea, Pera Chorio Nisou, Alhambra, Dali, Agios Sozomenos, Potamia and Lymbia, to avoid outdoor exposure and stay inside with windows closed. Fans or air conditioners should be used or avoided as follows:
Ordinary household air conditioners (split type with indoor unit and outdoor/compressor) can be used as they re-circulate indoor air.
Do not use machines/systems (of industrial units) which import and process outdoor air.
For further clarification regarding the above systems, residents are instructed to contact the supplier/installer of their air conditioning system.
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