ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – A large blaze broke out at a chips factory in Erbil’s Pirzin neighborhood on Tuesday morning, leading to heavy material damage, with extinguishing efforts underway by civil defense teams dispatched to the scene.

The fire broke out in at around 6:00 AM (local time), and civil defense teams arrived at the scene shortly after, “that is why the fire has not spread too far,” Shakhawan Saeed, spokesperson for Erbil Civil Defense told The New Region.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

At least 20 civil defense teams are currently working to control the blaze.

While no casualties are currently reported, there has been heavy material damage due to the size of the factory which covers an area of more than 4,000 square meters.

Saeed added that the factory has a large amount of “panels, cartons, and materials. It all catches fire easily and spreads easily. That is the problem."

“Because it [the factory] is built in an improper way, the fire is close to reaching the homes… Our teams are preventing it from reaching the houses by all means,” he added.

The firefighters have largely controlled the spread of the fire. The only part yet to be brought under control is the area where oil is stored at the factory, the spokesperson noted.