Firefighters battle massive factory fire in SydneyFebruary 23, 2017 - 11:05 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A thick plume of black smoke rose above the Sydney skyline on Thursday, February 23 as scores of firefighters battled a huge blaze at a recycling plant in the western suburbs of Australia's largest city, Reuters reports. No injuries were reported from the blaze in an industrial park about 15 km (10 miles) west of downtown Sydney. More than 100 firefighters responded to the blaze, which broke out at about 9.30 a.m. local time. A spokeswoman from the New South Wales State fire service said several hours later the blaze had been confined to the building in which it broke out and that other factories nearby had been evacuated. Dramatic footage from the scene showed that the roof of the recycling plant had collapsed as piles of paper and plastic burned inside. The column of smoke was visible across Sydney, with social media users posting images taken from different vantage points citywide. Favorable winds kept the smoke from reaching the city center. Authorities would not comment on the cause of the fire. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia, Turkey discuss restoration of historic bridge The meeting took place on May 17 in Ashgabat on the sidelines of an international conference of ministers of culture. India wants Armenia’s proposals on use of Chabahar port India is expecting proposals from Armenia regarding the use of Chabahar port in Iran, Indian ambassador says. EU welcomes Armenia-Azerbaijan “progress” The EU has welcomed “progress” made in the framework of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation process. Belarus opposition leader slams Lukashenko for Karabakh trip Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has harshly criticized the visit of Lukashenko to Karabakh. |