Pollution
Humain
Environnement
Economique

In a fireworks production facility, a violent deflagration occurred inside the unit containing an automatic loading hopper for 75-mm shells carrying 2 kg of pyrotechnic composition made from potassium nitrate, sulphur and aluminium. The phenomenon seemed to have been triggered outside the unit and would have propagated by dust deposited on the machinery. The blast caused one injury; the unit and its equipment sustained serious damage. Some of the protective features did not properly respond, e.g. armoured windows and doors.

The implementation of certain compositions by means of automated installations produced dust that was difficult to control. The site operator developed a solution that would prove “less sophisticated” for distributing this type of composition. A granulation step prior to implementation was also to be evaluated. The electric vibrating bowls were replaced by pneumatic systems.