At around 12.45 p.m., a fire broke out in a pit at a non-hazardous waste storage facility. The fire was detected by a technician, and, at the same time, the alarm was raised by 3 detectors. Staff were evacuated. The waste was covered with earth by the machine operator. Firefighters responded using water hoses. The response ended at around 4.10 p.m. The water used on the fire seeped into the mass of waste and reached the leachate system. The next day, before 7 a.m., the machine operator detected a fire had broken back out in the same area (smoking demolition beam). The waste was covered with earth, but the operator did not search for the presence of a smouldering fire. The inspection authorities for classified facilities required suspension of any deliveries of waste to the site until the operator had replenished the stock of earth required for covering purposes in the event of an incident and provided evidence of the integrity of the biogas and leachate systems in the area affected by the fire. A monitoring patrol every 4 hours was put in place. Activity restarted on the site 4 days after the first incident.

The external temperature at the time of the fire was high (39°C – 41°C). In addition, the operator did not have an internal emergency plan.

Following the fire, the operator put in place the following actions:

• increased patrols using a portable thermal imaging camera during the summer period;
• set-up of an alarm annunciator in the refectory building.