In a plant that produces farm animal feed, a fire broke out around 8:30 on an electrical transformer and spread to the building attic space and into the biofilter suction duct that measures 1.6 m in diameter by 100 m long, igniting the deposits of dust and animal fat remaining inside the duct. Plant personnel were evacuated. All suction operations were halted so as to avoid a “drawing” phenomenon and the valves at the level of the biological filter suction duct were closed to prevent the fire from propagating to other workshops. The emergency crews focused on three strategies: combating the fire, protecting the silos, and surveying inside the silos with the help of a thermal camera. They encountered difficulties in extinguishing the fire inside the duct yet ultimately contained the blaze around 12:30 am. They also put out the residual hot spots, monitored the site for the rest of the night and left the premises at 8:15 the following morning. The extinction water was channelled to the storage lagoon.

Two fire-fighters were slightly injured and considerable property damage was reported at the level of the biofilter suction duct, cooker driving motors, the transformer room and two control cabinets for the cookers. The accident also gave rise to a loss of local flora in both the peat and heather media of the biofilter, causing its malfunction and hence olfactory nuisances, for which complaints were filed during the ensuing days. Besides the technical consequences valued at 841,400 euros, the operating losses were estimated at another 140,000 euros: 634 tonnes of category 1 and 2 material, plus 379 tonnes of blood that had to be destroyed. These materials were processed by specialised subcontractors.

The fire was due to a condenser that ignited, most likely subsequent to voltage variations induced by the heavy thunderstorms of the previous night. The operator created a new outdoor room for the transformer separate from the workshops, easier to access and set within a more appropriate thermal atmosphere. The operator also installed sectional valves on the suction pipe segments sensitive to devices directing the biofilter suction duct in order to prevent the fire from spreading to the main suction duct, thus avoiding additional damage to the set of environmental treatment tools. Heightened monitoring was also introduced for heating through conducting infrared-based thermographic measurements by a specialised company, in addition to the temperature measurements already performed in-house on the electrical equipment. Lastly, the operator increased the cleaning frequency on ducts used in the milling industry.