Pollution
Humain
Environnement
Economique

In a waste metal and end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recovery centre, a fire broke out at around 9:45 a.m. on a vehicle being decontaminated and stored under a metal framework structure. The staff at the site attempted to extinguish the fire using all available extinguishers, but were unsuccessful. When the emergency services arrived at the site around 10 a.m., the fire had already spread to 5 vehicles awaiting decontamination, to the forklift supporting the vehicle that had initially caught fire and to a stock of used wheels and spare parts located nearby. The firefighters were able to contain the fire using the fire hydrant located near the site and a pumping vehicle.

Consequences

Of the site’s 10,000 m² of property, the fire was limited to just 400 m², the area dedicated to the ELV activity. The metal structure used to shelter the decontamination activities, 2 containers for storing used drain oils and coolants, 6 ELVs in progress or awaiting decontamination, a forklift, a 20 m³ stock of wheels equipped with their tyres and a stock of second-hand mechanical parts were destroyed.

Part of the extinguishing water and foam was conveyed through the rainwater collection network to the oil separator located below the site. However, as the site located on sloping terrain, some of the water had flowed by gravity into the field below. The fire brigade deployed absorbent socks to stop the flow. The Tillet River, located down slope from the site, does not appear to have been polluted. To avoid rainwater leaching, the operator had to quickly clean up the area affected by the fire.

Causal analysis

The vehicle in which the fire had started no longer had its battery installed. According to the technician in charge of this vehicle, its fuel tank, which had not yet been drained, suddenly ignited without any known explanation. The presence of an ignition source (spark, flame) is likely.

The impact on the natural environment was linked to the fact that the stormwater system was not in compliance and did not collect all the runoff water (confirmed by tracing performed on the system).

Measures taken

The operator has installed an efficient runoff water collection system to prevent runoff from entering the field located down slope from the site. It must also replace the oil separator, which has proved to be inefficient. The cost of these works was estimated at €16,000.