" flames hit the roof of the plant...."

 

A simple question we ask on plant tours is “when was the last evacuation drill?” If the worker cannot remember quickly when the last drill was. We know it has been too long. Emergencies can happen at anytime. Emergencies that occur at night are more dangerous in our opinion because of the lack of sunlight. Workers are more likely to be placed in harm’s way while evacuating heading to their designated muster point.

At the end of March 2025, around 19:00, the operations room of the local Fire Brigade received an emergency call for a fire in progress at an aluminum ingot factory (location name omitted).

The flames hit the roof of the plant

The fire affected the upper part of the building, involving a large part of the roof. The teams of the (two nearby towns) detachments intervened on the spot, supported by a ladder truck and a tanker truck from the (nearby city) headquarters. The operation was coordinated by the fire department with the presence of the police.

Strategies for extinguishing and remediating the area

The factory specialized in aluminum die casting, was made safe thanks to the timely action of rescuers. The Fire Brigade used the ladder truck to reach the roof and dismantle the paneling, preventing the spread of flames in the cavity of the roof, made up of sandwich panels. The final shutdown took place this morning, followed by a careful reclamation of the area.

No injuries, causes under investigation

The fire was extinguished without consequences for the people present in the plant. The competent authorities are now investigating the causes of the fire, which are still being ascertained.

We are thankful no one was injured due to the fire and/or during the evacuation.

We ask the simple question. If you cannot answer the questions within seconds, it has been too long. “When was the last evacuation drill?”

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