"The flames developed in the foundry department.."

Roof fires are a hidden hazard in many workplaces. Either through age (roof is wood) or through contaminates (e.g., oil, fines) roof fires can result in a lot of damage. Here is a recent incident highlighting the hazard associated with roof fires.

Moments of apprehension in the early afternoon today in (town name omitted), where a fire broke out inside the (foundry) plant, in the (name omitted) industrial area. The dense column of smoke, visible even several kilometers away, triggered the alarm around 1 p.m., drawing the attention of residents and motorists. The flames developed in the foundry department, where the aluminum ingots destined for the production of cylinders are melted. In a few minutes the fire reached a portion of the roof of the shed, causing the intense spread of smoke. Three teams from the local Provincial Fire Brigade Command intervened on the spot with a tank fire engine, a ladder truck and a tanker, flanked by a team from (a nearby town’s) detachment with an additional tank fire engine.

The extinguishing and safety operations were coordinated by the Fire Brigade guard officer, present at the scene of the intervention to follow the emergency and also assess the extent of the damage to the structure. In the initial stages of the emergency, the mayor of (the town), had invited citizens, through social media, to keep the windows closed and to avoid staying outdoors as a precaution. With the gradual extinguishing of the flames, a reassuring update from the mayor himself arrived: "Situation under control. Nothing potentially toxic was detected. Risk situation returned".

Subsequently, the Municipality also confirmed, through a note published on the institutional website, that the fire had been completely extinguished and that the checks carried out by the competent authorities had not shown the presence of emissions of potentially toxic substances. "Following the fire that occurred in the early afternoon at the (foundry) plant, in the (town name omitted) area, the Fire Brigade and all the competent authorities intervened promptly, who took steps to secure the area and manage the emergency," reads the note. "The fire was completely extinguished and, on the basis of the checks carried out, there were no emissions of potentially toxic substances. There are therefore no dangerous conditions for citizens and it is possible to resume normal activities". The fire affected only a portion of the plant's roof. No one was injured and environmental controls ruled out risks to public health. The causes that caused the fire now remain to be ascertained.

We are thankful no one was injured and the fire departments were able to safely extinguish this roof fire. Looking at the videos and photos, the fire departments had their hands full getting access to the fire as it spread. Many workplaces provide tours to their local fire departments. We wonder how many of the tours include a discussion or visit about the workplace’s roof?

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