"Water can't douse that type of fire...."

The hazard involved with aluminium dust/fine fires is now widely known. Only after hundreds, yes hundreds of fatalities has this hazard been finally accepted for what it is. Here is a recent incident that illustrates what can go right when the responding fire department have the proper information on how to extinguish an aluminium fine/dust fire.

Firefighters used chemicals to extinguish a fire at the Triangle Manufacturing plant in Upper Saddle River early one day during the first week of April 2019.

The fire broke out just before 8:30 a.m. in a unit at the Parkway plant that collects aluminum dust, USR Police Detective Lieutenant said. 

Water can't douse that type of fire -- and may, instead, cause an explosion, USR Police Detective Lieutenant said.

Extinguishers containing a dry chemical blend are necessary. Firefighters from Upper Saddle River, Mahwah and Ramsey responded, along with hazardous materials units from Bergen County and Mahwah.

Triangle manufactures medical instruments and implantable devices in four facilities at the 100,000-square-foot plant.

We congratulate the fire departments and the manufacturing company for successfully extinguishing this aluminium dust fire safely. In the past the existence of aluminium fines and/or dust in our factories was considered a nuisance. It was only after small fires that many in our industry began to acknowledge this hazard. After several catastrophes did the world acknowledge this hazard.

The Aluminium Times magazine has published articles about this hazard. They can be found here.