At around 1:50 p.m., a fire broke out on the unloading platform in a non-hazardous waste storage facility as the compactor was crushing insulating panels. Two machine operators alerted the site reception desk. The fire resulted in the release of thick black smoke. Both incoming and outgoing feeds were stopped, and vehicles were evacuated from the site. The personnel were then able to cover the bin with earth with the help of a machine. The fire brigade, alerted by a private individual, intervened, and the fire was brought under control at around 2:30 p.m. A loader from a neighbouring company came to help and dumped sand directly into the quay. Thermographic surveillance was set up to monitor the entire quay. The 2 m³ of firefighting water seeped into the waste.

According to the operator, the insulating panels compacted at the site are not self-igniting. An external source of ignition must thus have been present: contact with a hot part of the compactor (engine, radiator), the existence of a spark or overheating due to friction between the wheel of the machine and the insulating panels (some of which featured an aluminium sheet).

In August 2018, two similar fires (involving insulating panels, period of high temperature) had already occurred on this site (ARIA 52029 and 52112). Following these events, the operator implemented several measures, including mandatory supply of a loading slip upon arrival of these insulating panels on-site to check compliance with the maximum temperature of the load (< 40 °C) and ensure that the proper cooling time is respected (> 2 h). This procedure was implemented on the day of this new incident and reduced the duration of the firefighting operation by 30 minutes.

To further limit the fire risk, the operator is studying the possibility of unloading the panels in a stabilised inert area and crushing the load progressively just below a stockpile of inert material.