Update 4 dead - explosion at aluminum melting furnace

 

Handling molten metal is a hazard that most plants are most concerned with. That is because no other hazard has the potential to create an earthquake, destroy a plant, and cease production in milliseconds. Sadly, we have to report of a recent incident.

 

A blast at an industrial park near a Middle East capital killed two people, the state-run (news agency name omitted) reported. The explosion happened at an aluminum melting furnace on the outskirts of (capital name omitted) one day during the week of May 9^th, 2021, according to the official news media, which initially said that three people had been killed. The report didn’t say what may have caused the blast or give any more details.

 

UPDATE

“district governor continued: 2 injured people who were taken to the hospital died due to the severity of their injuries and the number of fatalities in this accident reached 4 people.”

 

We pray for the deceased workers’ families, friends, and coworkers. We sadly have read that a third worker succumbed to their injuries. We have inquired on what occurred. As well as what were the clothing the workers wearing. When explosions occur workers are commonly injured and killed by the resulting shockwave. The shockwave throws the workers against machinery, a fixed-point suffering severe injury. Or workers are covered in molten metal and their clothes ignite if they are not fire resistant.

This appears to be the source of the explosion. It seems to be a vertical d.c. billet casting pit. 

Though we do not know how this explosion occurred. This incident still can be used as a training tool for your plant. How? Ask your personnel “in our plant how can a molten metal explosion occur”. 

Molten metal explosions can occur for a myriad of reasons including but not limited to: moisture entrapment, foreign substance, molten metal leak, molten metal contact with bare steel, concrete, stainless steel, wet stool caps, etc.

 

Eventually we will find out. When we do, we will update the post.

 

Please comment.