JADRA, Lebanon: Two people were killed and another was injured Tuesday by a huge fire that ripped through a furniture factory in Jadra, in the Iqlim Kharroub region south of Beirut.

An official at the factory, who spoke to The Daily Star on condition of anonymity, said the charred body belonged to 37-year-old Hisham Hallal.

Mount Lebanon security sources said the identity of the second fatality has yet to be determined.

Hallal's colleague, who asked not to be identified, suffered smoke inhalation and minor burns to his back as he tried to look for missing co-workers.

"All the other workers are fine after we counted them," the factory official said.

Three other workers who were feared to have been missing were reported to be among the nearly 100 employees who managed to evacuate the facility shortly after the fire broke out at 10:45 a.m.

Civil Defense teams rushed to the scene before noon and firefighters were called in from south Lebanon and Beirut to help contain the fire, fearing that it might spread to a nearby residential complex.

Tenants from the 100-unit apartment complex were evacuated.

By midday, firefighters were able to put out most of the fire which reduced the factory to rubble.

The body of the second fatality was found after the fire was put out.