Chopstick factory in Tangerang gutted by fire

A fire engulfed a chopstick production factory located in Kampung Melayu Timur village, Teluknaga District, Tangerang Regency, Banten, on Thursday morning (21 May). The head of the Tangerang Regency Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Achmad Taufik, said initial reports placed the incident at 02:20 WIB, and firefighting operations were ongoing. ‘The blaze is still being fought and there is no further spread; cooling is now underway,’ Taufik said on Thursday. Taufik revealed that the cause is suspected to be an electrical short circuit at the chopstick factory. ‘Based on information from residents, the fire originated from a short circuit at the chopstick factory,’ he added. In the incident, the BPBD deployed 30 personnel and seven fire vehicles. He stated that the operation lasted eight hours and there were no fatalities or injuries.