"a forklift first caught fire....then spread"

There are many worst case scenarios in our workplaces. Fire is high up on the list. Fire involving a moveable equipment is a very large concern. Why? Because, moveable equipment can be parked anywhere (with reason). If they are parked near a combustible and they catch fire the combustible will ignite. Here is a recent incident high

Fire: One million euros in damage

At around 4:30 a.m., a forklift first caught fire, and then the fire spread to a wall. The rescue service has to take care of several employees, two people are taken to the hospital as a precaution.

How did the fire come about?

According to a statement from the aluminum works, a forklift caught fire around 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, presumably due to a technical defect.

The fire spread from this to a partition wall that separates the production hall from a second hall. "Thanks to the quick and courageous intervention of the works fire brigade and the (town name omitted) and (nearby town name) fire brigades, the fire was quickly brought under control," said CEO in a statement on the fire.

Were there any injuries?

According to the police, the rescue service had to look after several employees during the extinguishing operation. Two employees were taken to the hospital as a precaution for examination, but were released after a few hours without any findings, confirms marketing manager at aluminum company, when asked.

What damage has occurred?

According to the company, no conclusive statements can currently be made about the extent of the damage. Production operations should be resumed as soon as possible.

According to initial estimates, the police said the damage was around one million euros. The forklift, the partition wall and a building pillar were damaged, as well as possibly finished goods.

Who was in action?

Firefighters had the fire under control by 5:30 a.m. According to the commander of the (name omitted) fire brigade, 42 members of the (aluminium) factory fire brigade and the fire brigades from (two nearby towns) were deployed. They came with five vehicles.

The rescue service was also on site with 16 people and several vehicles. In the message, the company would like to thank “all those involved for their exemplary commitment”.

What is known about the cause of the fire?

The exact cause of the fire is currently being determined. The (local) police station took over the investigation.

We would assume the injured workers were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. We pray that the injured workers recover fully from their injuries.

As usual the news media article did not provide much information. Regardless, we feel the information provided is enough to allow the reader to make their workplace safer.

1. Does your workplace have diesel or propane ?
2. Any department that handles molten metal should have propane, and be fully enclosed
3. Where are forklifts parked?
4. Are there required parking areas for forklifts?
5. Is there combustible nearby?
6. Is there fire extinguishers near where the forklifts are parked?

Please comment.