Molten metal flows into the basement....

The unexpected loss of molten metal from its container is a hazard that our plants mitigate on a daily basis. The containers can vary including but not limited to the following: furnaces, troughing, casting tooling, drain pans, etc. Here is an incident from a few months ago that we had yet to post. Sadly, at any point in time we typically have 15-20 stories we have yet to post. We wish that was not the case. Regardless, we will try to post all the stories that we know. Here is a story emphasizing the hazard associated when molten metal escapes.

On Sunday evening, liquid aluminum flew into the fire at an European smelter in October 2019, the product leaks to the company's cellar. The fire brigade of three local fire departments are on site.

Because the aluminum cannot be extinguished with water, it must cool down naturally.

No one was injured in the incident, all employees are safely outside the factory. There is also no danger to the environment, according to a spokesperson for the fire department.

We are happy no one got injured in this incident. As we have posted before unexpected molten metal releases can be a mess. Molten metal will flow to the lowest point, in this case the basement of the factory. Not sure if the basement is the area under furnace or if it was actually the basement under the factory floor. Molten metal will flow into any crevice, opening, hole in the floor. Production areas that have trenches recessed in the floor and covered up with steel plates are not immune for damage. We have seen numerous incidents where a gap in the steel plates allows for the molten metal to flow inside. Whatever molten metal comes into contact will be burned especially electrical wires.

Lastly, we do not recommend that you filling sand in any mechanical trenches that are recessed in your floor. The theory is behind that practice is that the sand will prevent the molten metal from coming in contact with conduit, water lines, etc. But, many fail to acknowledge that these trenches gather moisture. That moisture is retained in the sand and when contacted with molten metal will expand (small to medium explosion). There have been numerous incidents involving this practice.

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