In the stripping workshop of a firm specialised in the stamping and machining of parts made of an aluminium and titanium alloy, a large quantity of nitrous vapours were released in the 3,500-litre cold-working, fluonitric acid bath (containing 5% HNO3[...]
At 8:45 am, a series of fires and 3 explosions broke out at a 10-ha fireworks storage site. A technician withdrew a series of electric detonators on fireworks ground packs, then a second technician sorted these detonators by colour for[...]
During a transfer of heavy fuel oil (HFO), a leak occurs on a pipe between a coastal depot and a power plant storage (length: 7430 m; depth: 2 m). The procedure involves flushing with light fuel oil (LFO) at 10[...]
During cleaning operations at a chemical site that had ceased its activities, hydrogen chloride was released for a few minutes when a tank containing 11.7 tonnes of benzoyl chloride was being drained. The substance was no longer used and had[...]
A detonation occurred at 6:45 pm in a reactor on a pharmaceutical site. A worker sustained burns to the face. The device was placed under permanent inerting with nitrogen (N2). The most recent reaction held, a hydrogenation step, had been[...]
On a Monday morning, a huge fire destroyed an archive warehouse comprising 2 cells, one measuring 3,630 m² and 14 m high (5 archive storage levels accessible by elevated walkways) the other 1,838 m² and 8.5 m high, with a[...]
For the 2nd time in less than 24 hours, the window on an 80-m³ beer tank in a brewery exploded after pressure in the container had risen. Plant activity was suspended for the time needed to determine the precise cause[...]
In a brewery, the porthole on an 80-m³ beer vat exploded as tank pressure was being increased. The fermentation process involved 2 phases: a start-up period with atmospheric discharge of the air/carbon dioxide (CO2) mix for 10 to 16 hours,[...]
A propane leak occurred on a loading station in an LPG depot that distributes product to trucks. The depot manager secured the site by pressing the emergency button, in accordance with the site's standard operating procedure. The emergency services were[...]
In a SEVESO-rated oil depot at 5:20 am, a truck driver notified a technician after observing an anomaly on pumping plant no. 1. The technician manually closed the pump feed valve, and the site was placed in safe operating mode[...]
