Pollution
Humain
Environnement
Economique

A fire broke out around 7.30 pm in an ultrasound cleaning unit in a surface treatment workshop in a plant manufacturing orthopaedic implants that was closed for a long weekend on account of a bank holiday (14 July). The automatic fire suppression system was triggered and the alarm couple along with the sprinklers warned a surveillance company that informed the operator and the fire-fighters. Upon their arrival, the fire was extinguished the rescue team did not have to intervene. The enquiry revealed that the facility that had switched on automatically on a holiday due to a faulty setting in the start-up clock continued heating despite the lack of water in the unit. The malfunctioning of the reservoir level gauge due to poor maintenance caused the temperature sensor to be exposed to the air causing overheating that triggered the fire. Material damage (damage to the cleaning unit) was estimated at 37 K euros. The operator reminded his staff of the equipment maintenance guidelines and modified the operating mode of the treatment line to take into account holidays in setting the clock and starting the facility.