Shortly before 2 am a raging fire and multiple explosions destroyed a 500 m² joinery workshop located in an industrial area. Fed by wood, paint and acid stored under unsuitable conditions, the flames threatened to spread to 3 adjacent houses that were rapidly evacuated, a heating company (acetylene cylinders) and a wood working factory. After two overhead lines had generated powerful electrical arcs, the electricity services cut off the power supply to the entire industrial estate. The 60 fire-fighters called out conducted a major operation (involving 5 fire engines, 8 hoses and 1 tanker lorry) which was hindered by failures in the hydraulic network. These were overcome by connecting two motor-driven pumps to the RISLE. Their intervention was also complicated by communication problems (poor mobile phone reception) and by the absence of plans of the establishment (complex configuration of interconnected buildings).

Following this accident, 9 people were temporarily laid off and 7 residents were rehoused for the night. According to the emergency services, the use of “water shield” hoses would have been effective for creating a water curtain to protect the façades of the houses.