Fire destroys 3 containers, damages 4 at Aqaba terminal

AMMAN — Authorities are investigating  reasons behind a fire that erupted on Sunday at the Aqaba Container Terminal, according to the Civil Defence Department (CDD).

The blaze, which started at dawn, did not cause any injuries but damaged seven containers, a source at the CDD press office said.

“The reasons behind the fire are still unknown, but a committee has been formed to investigate,” the source told The Jordan Times.

Three of the containers were completely destroyed in the fire, according to the CDD, while four were slightly damaged.

The damaged containers were carrying cardboard, biscuits and detergents, according to Amen FM, the radio station of the Public Security Department.

Thousands of containers are currently at the terminal, some ready to be loaded onto trucks and sent to markets and others that are still being processed. 

The majority of them contain several types of canned food, meat and raw materials used at factories such as those used in the production of cooking oil, according to the Foodstuff Traders Association.

On Saturday night, the Aqaba Civil Defence Department extinguished another fire that erupted in a ship-shaped restaurant.

“The fire started at 9:30pm on the three-storey restaurant which is located on the beach. The fire was caused by an electrical fault and started on the third floor,” a CDD press officer said.

He added that the fire did not cause any injuries, but damaged the restaurant.