A fire broke out early yesterday afternoon at the PRONICOL dairy factory in Vinha Brava, on the outskirts of Angra do Heroísmo. According to information gathered by DI at the scene, two of the five milk drying towers were destroyed, and the other three were damaged.
At the end of yesterday, the causes of the fire were still undetermined. However, at around 5 p.m., the firefighters were carrying out the aftermath, which means that, in principle, the situation was under control.
There were no casualties, and the firefighters from Angra do Heroísmo and Praia da Vitória were on the scene fighting the blaze, supported by seven vehicles, according to a Civil Protection statement. According to the same information, the building was evacuated in good time.
At the end of yesterday, the real impact of the fire on the milk processing industry on Terceira Island had yet to be determined.
Since Pronicol has a monopoly on milk processing, except for small independent farms, the impact will likely be significant and long-lasting.

The drying of milk for processing into powdered milk is very significant in Terceira, and it is not yet known whether this milk can be channeled into other products, such as cheese or butter.
Terceira produces around 400,000 liters of milk a day, and according to DI, there is no alternative to processing on the island outside of the protocol factory.
At the close of this edition, we learned that the towers affected are of old construction, which means that even the least damaged ones will probably have to be replaced in their entirety.

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.