LIMA, May 13 – A fire on Wednesday at Nexa Resources’ Cajamarquilla zinc smelter in Peru has been brought under control, though the blaze left several workers injured.
In a statement sent to workers seen by Reuters, Nexa said those affected included one of its own employees and three workers from contractor Hitachi, which had been carrying out work in the area.
Three of the injured were taken for evaluation and treatment and were in stable condition, while a fourth person was treated on site, the company said.
Nexa said it evacuated workers from the affected areas as a precaution and activated emergency and safety protocols with support from local firefighters.
The company said the causes of the incident were under investigation.
Local media, citing firefighters, said the blaze began at around 7:17 a.m. local time (1217 GMT) at the Cajamarquilla facility in Lurigancho-Chosica, east of Lima, and affected electrical equipment at a transmission substation.
Cajamarquilla is the largest zinc smelter in Latin America. The firm has earmarked around $22 million for renovations at the site in 2026. REUTERS
