A fire broke out at a non-hazardous industrial waste and miscellaneous metal transit and sorting centre in an outdoor plating storage area (miscellaneous light scrap) where torch-cutting work is carried out during the day. Motorists alerted the emergency services. The fire was mainly fuelled by the combustion of removable ‘walls’, made of wooden beams and used tyres, used for marking out the various storage compartments. Fire-fighters secured the site by moving the waste and combustible materials located around the hall, as well as several gas bottles close to the fire. Foam was used to smother and extinguish the fire while limiting the use of water. A light signal was installed on the dual carriageway located close by, due to the thick smoke released. The mains power was turned off as a precaution due to the presence of a medium-voltage line bordering the site. Despite the spraying of the work area after cutting, the accident may have been caused by a spark or a particle of molten metal projected during the flame cutting work towards one of the walls of tyres located only 2 or 3 m away. The installation’s prefectural operating permit prohibits flame cutting work within 8 m of the storage of combustible materials and requires safety guidelines to be displayed on the site. The inspection authorities for classified facilities have drawn up a report establishing the facts.