At a steel mill, fire broke out in the scrap iron storage yard within a part of the building dedicated to warehousing greasy (lathe) waste and shavings stemming from mechanical metalworking. A major release of black-coloured smoke was observed. The response mobilised considerable emergency resources. Two individuals sustained slight intoxication. The mill’s 200 employees on short time working. Inspection Authorities noted that the blaze had originated in a small room normally used to store metal shavings, but this storage zone was not impermeable and moreover available water outlets were not suited to fire-fighting needs. Welding work on the building structure caused this fire. Since the scrap iron pile had leaked, both the water table and ESCAULT River were monitored to detect as quickly as possible any pollution risk from the extinction water. The results of groundwater monitoring would confirm the poor groundwater quality yet did not reveal any worsening of conditions following the accident. A soils study was also conducted. An injunction was proposed to the Prefect for failing to prevent leaking in the zone dedicated to storing the shavings. As part of the remediation works undertaken, the operator was ordered to take all measures necessary both to collect extinction water during possible accident scenarios and to upgrade on-site fire-fighting resources.