At around 4:30 p.m., a fire broke out in a plant producing oil and cakes from sunflower and canola seed. The fire started in the air filter of the pellet cooling installation (the last step in the preparation of protein-rich seeds before the oil is extracted). The fire generated a great deal of smoke. Two technicians attempted to put out the fire using the site’s pressurised fire hoses and alerted the emergency services. The internal contingency plan was initiated at 6 p.m. The rescue services responded with 8 fire hoses and were able to extinguish the fire around 8 p.m. Cleanup of the site started at 11 p.m. with a fire hose and a pressurised tanker truck. The internal contingency plan was lifted the following morning, and the site was visited by the Mayor.

Three employees suffered from smoke inhalation. The fire had remained within the chiller and did not have a direct impact on the plant’s other facilities. Specific activities were shut down temporarily, but no partial layoff measures were implemented.

The fire extinguishing water had been confined to the 200 m³ retaining tank of the stormwater collection network. According to the operator, the facility’s quality and environmental safety manager had closed off the stormwater system only around 7 p.m. Since the lift pump does not switch on until a certain water level is reached, it is likely that this extinguishing water was not released into the natural environment between the start of the fire and 7 p.m. Following the fire, the water treatment station was no longer in normal working order, perhaps due to the emulsifiers used to extinguish the fire.

The Inspection authorities for classified facilities noted the facts and assessed the damage. According to the facility operator, the cause of the fire can be attributed to the presence of grease in the filter. The difficulty of accessing the inside of the filter made it hard for the technicians to intervene when the fire started. The facility operator plans to equip the filter with sprinkler heads, temperature sensors and carbon monoxide detectors for a more efficient response in the event of a fire. The Inspection authorities also asked the operator to act on the factors that caused the fire. Although the transformation of seeds into pellet form improves the efficiency of the oil extraction process by increasing the surface area in contact with the solvent used, it is not essential for the process. The operator plans to resume its activity and “shunt” this operation after having ensured that these modifications do not have adverse consequences on safety and do not have an impact on hexane emissions.