A plume of smoke rose over the Latvian capital to be seen for miles around after an industrial facility in the Plavnieki district caught fire. Initially believed to be a storage area for wooden palletes, the flames spread to an area containing household chemicals.
A dozen firefighters were injured as they tackled the incident, though all but one were quickly back on the job after medical treatment. Most were injured as a result of the extreme heat at the scene, according to a State Fire and Rescue Service spokesman.
However, they brought the blaze under control. Work at the site continued Friday morning, though it was said to no longer present a threat.
Meanwhile work continues at Valdgale in Talsi district to contain a week-old forest fire. VUGD reported that the perimter around the site remained secure and three helicopters were helping to put out flames that reappeared periodically as a result of dry weather and peat-rich soil.
Šonakt ugunsdzēsēji glābēji turpināja ugunsgrēka dzēšanas darbus Talsu novadā, kur daudzviet, iekšpus perimetra, joprojām notiek gruzdēšana, bet atsevišķās vietās notiek degšana ar atklātu liesmu. Šodien darbs tiek turpināts un no augšas dzēšanu veic arī trīs helikopteri. pic.twitter.com/NzoqFYDwLi
— VUGD (@ugunsdzeseji) July 27, 2018
