In a recyclable metal materials recovery company, at around 11 am, an employee pierced a container containing 334 kg of titanium chips with a plasma torch to remove the water, causing metal turnings to catch fire. He immediately moved the container away to a sealed area and unable to extinguish the fire with extinguishers (2 powder extinguishers + 1 additive water extinguisher) alerted the public emergency services. Upon their arrival, firefighters cooled the exterior of the container (T° > 800 °C) but could not extinguish the fire with the wet sand provided by the operator, fearing water cracking risks (separation of H2 and O2). At around 2.20 pm, the fire was contained after pouring a 1 t-, 30 cm-thick layer of dry sand, supplied by a materials firm, into the container. Cooling of the exterior of the container was stopped at around 3.45 pm (core T° = 50 °C). The container was moved to an isolated area and covered with a bin to protect it from the rain that was forecast for that evening; the container’s temperature was monitored.

Human error caused the accident. The employee was aware of the risks of ignition related to his work. Within the framework of the authorisation procedure in process (establishment transfer), the inspection organisation for classified facilities planned to recommend to the Prefect that the operator should have a quantity of dry sand on site to be able to cover this type of fire to a thickness of 30 cm.