BEIRUT: A warehouse storing plastic crates was destroyed in a large fire in Beirut’s southern suburb of Ouzai Sunday, according to the state-run National News Agency.

The warehouse is owned by the Ali Hamoud Company, which distributes plastic produce crates to dozens of companies throughout the country.

Smoke and fumes from the fire, which started around 12 p.m. Sunday, could be seen from as far away as the town of Antelias and other parts of Mount Lebanon.

According to the NNA, the Civil Defense quickly dispatched to the area a team of firefighters who were able to put out the blaze by 3:30 p.m.

A security source told The Daily Star that a group of the firefighters decided to remain at the site Sunday evening, fearing that any remaining spark could catch the remaining plastic crates on fire and reignite the warehouse.

Meanwhile, Beirut’s prosecutor general ordered a team of experts to carry out an investigation to determine the cause of the fire and to determine the monetary loss from the fire.

According to the security source, Sunday’s fire most likely caused less damage than last week’s fire at the five-story plastic factory in the Metn region of Mazraat Yeshou.

The fire in the plastic factory, which is owned by Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud, started in the UPS room of the factory. Although Abboud has not identified the size of losses his factory suffered last week, the security source told The Daily Star that losses at the factory could amount to as much as several million dollars.

The fire that erupted in the UPS room of the factory raged through the night, lasting more than seven hours. There were no casualties reported from either fire.