Fire crews are battling to control a huge blaze at the warehouse of Spanish citrus exporter Fontestad, with the group's 45,000m2 facility in Museros, near Valencia, ablaze since this morning (10 May).
It is not yet clear what caused the fire but local reports claim thick black smoke was seen rising from a pallet storage area. The damage is thought to be substantial.
According to local reports, some 250 workers had to be evacuated from the facility, with five employees treated for smoke inhalation.
Set up in the 1950s, Fontestad is one of Valencia's leading citrus marketers. The family-owned company's annual production exceeds 110,000 tonnes. It has around 900ha of citrus groves in Valencia, Murcia, Huelva and Sevilla. One of its biggest export markets is France, which it serves through its Perpignan-based subsidiary Fontestad Francia.
