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 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". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |