Latex Foam Company gutted by fire

Accra, Sept. 05, GNA - A blazing fire last night gutted Latex Foam Company Limited, a leading manufacturer of foam mattresses and allied products in Accra.

The cause of the fire, which started around 2100 hours, has not yet been established. Management of the company could not give the estimated cost of damage but it is said to run into millions of Ghana cedis as about 95 per cent of the structures were razed down. When Ghana News Agency toured the factory on Wednesday morning, it found that the whole factory had virtually been burnt down with the exception of a few litres of chemicals and the plant that manufactures foam.

The fire also affected part of the administration block, which is attached to the factory. According to a factory source, some security men made a distress call to personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service that responded promptly.

However, it took them a long time to bring the fire under control because of the combustible nature of the foam products and chemicals at the factory.

But for the timely intervention of the police who were at the scene to maintain order, some thieves who broke into the showroom would have made away with some of the company's products.

Speaking to GNA, Mr Isaac Fenning, Public Relations Officer of the Company, who looked dejected and was almost in tears, said he could not easily ascertain the cause of the fire.

He said all investigations concerning the cause of the fire had been left to the Fire Service to come out with their report. Mr Fenning said the company was fully insured with the State Insurance Company.

"We are taking consolation from the fact that we have another factory annex where we are going to operate from," he added. Mr Fenning said about 20 years ago, a similar incident occurred at the factory.

Some officers of North Industrial Area Fire Station, which first arrived at the scene, said they could not make any comment without authority from their superiors. 05 Sept. 07