A fire at the Plainsur chemical distribution company in the La red industrial park in Alcala de Guadaria, near Seville, Spain, has caused a some explosions and a strong column of smoke. The huge cloud of smoke is visible from several miles away, with firefighters dispatched to the area to attempt to extinguish the blaze.
The fire caused alarm among residents passing by and the 112 emergency services received several calls, the first at 1.23pm regarding the fire, followed by others reporting a huge column of smoke emanating from the fire. Municipal and company sources have told ABC de Sevilla Province that initial investigations rule out any injuries, however it is currently unknown whether anyone is trapped inside.
The incident is said to have originated in the company’s solvents area.
Eyewitnesses report that thousands of litres of acetone accumulated inside the warehouses, posing a risk of explosion. As a result, the warehouses and neighbouring factories have been evacuated. People have been moved to an area near the A-92 motorway.
During the first minutes of the fire and explosions, workers from nearby warehouses entered the building to try to extinguish it with their own resources. They were then urged to leave the area as the explosions continued.
The fire is so substantial that it has caused several miles of traffic jams on the highway that connects Seville with La Campiña, the Sierra Sur, and Málaga and Granada.
A post by 7TV Andalucia on X showing a video of the fire from Seville reads: “A fire at the La Red Industrial Estate in Alcalá de GuadaÃra leaves this image in Seville. According to information from 112, it broke out at 1:05 p.m. in a chemical products warehouse. The staff has been evacuated. No personal injuries have been confirmed at this time.”
Due to the extent of the fire, the Alcalá de GuadaÃra City Council has activated its Local Emergency Plan. Municipal officials are coordinating with the Andalusian Emergency Service 112 and the Ministry of the Presidency, which has emergency response responsibilities within the Andalusian government.
Companies in the industrial estate have been asked to evacuate their workers, while 112 has advised the population near the epicentre of the fire to remain indoors to prevent a possible risk of poisoning.
People living to working in the area have been advised to close doors and windows to prevent smoke from entering. The fire has affected cars parked next to the factory, which were burned to the ground.
According to information from the Seville Chamber of Commerce, Plainsur was founded as a plastics processing company specialising in the production of composite and thermoplastic products. In 1985, motivated by the need in the Andalusian market for raw materials for plastics processing and for the chemical industry, it modified its operations and became a distributor and marketer of chemical products.
