Fire broke out around 2:50 am in a 15,000-m² factory warehouse, presenting a risk of spreading to neighbouring buildings. Fire-fighters experienced difficulties in extinguishing the fire and required a lengthy intervention. The fire destroyed 4,500 m² of the storage building. The production line located in the neighbouring building, protected by a firewall, did not sustain any fire damage yet was subjected to the smoke and soot generated by the fire. The gas and electricity services cut off supplies. A fire-fighter overcome by fumes was treated onsite, and six employees intoxicated by CO were evacuated. The operator isolated the internal stormwater system. Around 40 employees were temporarily suspended. At 5:40 am, the fire was extinguished and fire-fighters started to clean the debris. DRIRE and the board of fisheries were notified by the Prefecture. The fire was probably arson and started outside the raw material storage building (polystyrene blocks and beads); a police investigation was launched. The company quickly resumed its activities with supplies provided by the group’s other factories. The production tool was repaired and the operator had plans to rebuild the destroyed building. The Classified Facilities Inspectorate reminded the operator of its requirement to file a statement and accident report together with proof concerning the removal, treatment and disposal of waste resulting from the incident; the reconstruction of the storage building and restoration of adjacent buildings were to be considered as new construction operations and had to comply with the planning and operating regulations, as defined in standard administrative orders (siting conditions for buildings to be rebuilt: distance from other buildings; location and fire resistance of walls and structures of reconstructed buildings). A building permit application had already been submitted for a plant expansion. This step was subject to review in order to take into account the changes made as a result of the incident (e.g. new location of storage and manufacturing activities, type and volume of products stored and processed, construction rules relative to the fire resistance of buildings, and fire detection and protection equipment to be installed).