Sunday around 7:00 am a fire of unknown origin occurred in the Manufacture "Cuirs HawTan SA", one of the largest tanneries of the Caribbean located on the Route des rails in Mariani (Carrefour), subsidiary of Hawtan Leathers, LLC one of the world's leading manufacturers of fine leather (Newburyport, Massachusetts USA).

"HawTan Leather SA" operates in Haiti since 1978 and employs nearly 160 employees, in the processing of skins refined leather and exports its products to several continents (North America, Asia, Europe, Africa...) leather gloves manufacturers, leather clothing and a variety of small manufacturers of leather goods.

Despite the intervention of volunteer firefighters of Carrefour and those of Port-au-Prince, who have managed to prevent the spread of flames, the factory has been almost completely destroyed and the material damage is expected to be very important.

Daniel Gallagher, the Director General of the factory that was on the scene estimates the losses to multi-million dollar, pointing out that it will take several months before activities resume.

Jude Édouard Pierre, the Mayor of Carrefour who went to the scene of the disaster expressed his sympathy with the owners of the factory and welcomed the efforts of firefighters before strongly criticizing the Government for the lack of equipment and the absence of fire hydrants in the country. While reminding the State, that his Commune had a fire truck stuck at the customs of Saint-Marc...

TB/ HaitiLibre