More than fifty firefighters mobilized on site....

Fires in ducts, stack, etc. are not uncommon. Here is a recent incident highlighting the complexity of a fire with up-to-date press releases:

Press release n ° 1 - 12:45 p.m.

A roof fire started at noon at the (aluminium) factory in (town in France).

A release of white smoke is currently visible but does not impede road traffic.

The fire and rescue services are in the process of intervention.

No casualties are to be reported. All the factory employees were evacuated.

The sector should be avoided. A security perimeter has been set up to facilitate the operations of firefighters.

Under the authority of the (name of area) prefect, all State services are fully mobilized.

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Press release n ° 2 - 1:05 p.m.

The factory completely stopped its production and all the employees were evacuated.

This is an aluminum dust fire in the insulation and cladding of flue pipes.

The fire is contained in the exhaust ducts.

The (name of area) fire and rescue services have been engaged.

The (name of area) prefect has activated the departmental operational center which brings together all of the State's services in these operations.

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Press release n ° 3 - 1:30 p.m.

The fire which broke out in the grounds of the aluminium factory in (town name omitted) is still ongoing.

The fumes given off show no toxicity.

Aluminum furnaces located more than 6 meters below the ducts are protected and isolated from the insulation in which the aluminum dust fire started.

The energies are cut and the whole hall is evacuated.

Significant resources are always mobilized on site:

- 51 firefighters

- 12 intervention vehicles

Press release n ° 4 - 2:18 p.m.

All the outbreaks linked to the fire that broke out at the aluminium factory in (town name omitted) are now extinguished.

The fire is therefore under control.

The (name of region) firefighters have lightened their system and are completing their extinguishing and stripping operations.

There is no more production of smoke.

A total of 27 people were evacuated. They were in the foundry building. No injuries are to be deplored.

The company is preparing to resume production this afternoon, except in the area affected by the disaster.

Significant resources have been committed by the (name of region) departmental fire and rescue services.

The (name of region) prefect thanks all the State services and the company for their mobilization and responsiveness.

We are glad that no one was injured in this fire. All aluminium workers were safely evacuated. These duct fires can be quite tough to extinguish. It took over 90 minutes to extinguish this fire. The fire was located about the furnace(s). Regardless, the fire departments with assistance from the aluminium plant personnel was able to shut off all electricity to the building.

In another news media article stated that the aluminium plant was one of 16 plants in the area deemed “severe high threshold”. It seems that once a fire or incident occurs at any of the “severe high threshold” classified plants the entire region responds. When this incident occurred the regional authority took command and started to send multiple fire departments to the aluminium plant. No doubt without the 12 vehicles and over 50 fire fighters the fire would have lasted longer than 90 minutes. We wonder if this plant designation in a local region is commonplace. No doubt it is a good idea, because in this incident without this emergency preparation the fire would not have been extinguished this quickly let alone it could have grown in size.

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