When the fire broke out Saturday, March 2 to 13 hours, hundreds of workers were on the job. No one was injured. The factory management, overwhelmed by the disaster, pushed still a big sigh of relief after learning that all employees had left the building safely.
Candy Tex employs 250 workers, including many Bangladeshis, Nepalese and Malagasy. Only a hundred employees were on duty when the fire alarm was given.
Firefighters Curepipe and Quatre-Bornes took nearly five hours to control the flames and three hours to extinguish small fires.It was around 22 h 30 they are gone, leaving behind a charred building.
Candy Tex manufactures work clothes for the U.S. market. Besides physical damage which certainly amounted to several million rupees, the plant will also consider the impact post-fire, including commands that can not be met and that 250 workers will be laid off.
Candy Tex has no other manufacturing units.