In a fireworks production plant, an untimely trigger went off during replacement of an igniter on a “Bengal flame” firework. Instead of discarding it outside the building, the technician left the spent firework inside the building; combustion spread to other products present in the workshop: pyrotechnic delays, fuse under ducts, and five 75-mm shells, i.e. nearly 8 kg of active material. Plant personnel applied the action guidelines and extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported, but the building was destroyed. The fire did not spread to the other buildings located a sufficient distance away.

In noncompliance with the protocol calling for this procedure to be performed on an external workstation, the technician-trainee was located inside the building. The foreman responsible for trainee supervision failed to correct the mistake and was subsequently fired for negligence.