A fire broke out at around 7:00 a.m. in metal dust collector at a metal-working company. The collector is used to capture metal dust (primarily nickel and cobalt) generated by a plasma-cutting system that sprays molten metal or refractory powders onto parts in order to create thick coatings. The dust collector had been turned on at around 6:00 a.m. An operator manually activated the fire alarm at 7:11 a.m. The company was secured and 25 employees were evacuated. The fire was brought under control by the public firefighters with powder extinguishers. No injuries or deaths were reported. The release of smoke was the only environmental impact reported. The amount of solid waste (metal dust and swarf, filters) was estimated at 150 kg. The dust collector was repaired (new filters, connection duct replaced, etc.) and checked the following day by a contractor. According to the company, the fire may have been caused by incandescent metal powder that had been drawn into the collector despite the flame shields or a clogged filter that had been improperly cleaned. A procedure for checking potential critical malfunctions of the suction system was drawn up. The company contacted the filter supplier to have additional safety systems fitted.