At 3:09○a.m., a fire broke out in a cell that was being used at a non-hazardous waste storage facility. Several explosions were heard. The plant’s caretaker notified the firefighters and the director. The operator arrived and covered the flames with soil and wet compost. The strong wind carried burning and burnt waste towards a used tyre storage area. Distress flares buried in the waste mass ignited, placing in danger the employees trying to extinguish the fire. After the fire was put out, the site was closely monitored over the weekend. A total of 15 flares exploded. One employee was overcome by the smoke produced by the burning fumes (nausea, eye irritation).

The distress flares, which were mixed in with the waste, are what caused the fire. They had probably been thrown away by a boater along with their non-hazardous waste. The flares exploded due to the high temperatures in the waste mass (normal fermentation process on top of hot sunshine during the previous days). The material safety data sheets for the flares specify that they must not be exposed to temperatures higher than 75○°C and that they may explode in fire.

Distress flares had already caused a number of fires at the facility (ARIA 47895, 47893). Following this latest fire, the prefecture held a meeting on the disposal of expired distress flares. Flares will be collected in a standard container placed inside the waste disposal unit of the waste collection centre. They will then be transported by sea and disposed of by an approved contractor on the mainland. Options to dispose of flares directly on Réunion are being explored.

However, the operator has pointed out that these solutions will not eliminate the risks associated with flares that are hidden inside closed bags of household waste.