Mattress Factory Fire in Colombia Spreads to Nearby Homes

A massive fire in a mattress factory Wednesday night in the Colombian capital of Bogota spread to as many as eight nearby houses.

Residents of the homes escaped without injuries, local media report.

The factory, located in the Bogota suburb of Fontibon, caught fire at about 9:40 p.m. Firefighters from Fontibon, Kennedy and Puente Aranda arrived to find the flames still largely confined to the mattress factory and were able to extinguish the blaze within an hour.

Smoke from the fire could be seen from distant points throughout the Bogota community. A hazardous materials team assigned to the fire monitored for toxic fumes from glues and solvents used at the factory.

The financial loss to the factory and homes is expected to exceed one million pesos. Cause of the blaze remains to be determined.