At 8:24 pm, a passer-by noticed a cab fire in one of the three lorry tankers in a convoy transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) that were parked at the premises of a landscaping firm. The fire quickly spread and around 9:15 pm, an initial blast occurred followed by one or several others; 2 of the 3 cisterns exploded (BLEVE-type incident), and the 3rd was thrown onto the roof of a neighbouring plant. The subsequent explosions and fires caused extensive property damage within a 900-m radius, including the destruction of 4 warehouses covering 1,000 m² floor space each.

Gendarmes set up a safety perimeter encompassing the entire industrial park; a motorway and the Lyon-Ambérieux railway line were closed for several hours. A large smoke cloud rose vertically, but no order was issued requiring evacuation of the local population.

Five adjacent businesses were destroyed or heavily damaged and in all some 20 industrial installations within the park sustained varying degrees of damage, resulting in 60 employees layoffs. A 100-kg metal part was projected through the roof of a single-family dwelling 700 m away.

Three fire-fighters and two gendarme officers were slightly injured; some 20 fire-fighters stationed 200 m from the explosion experienced ear, nose and throat disorders to at least some extent.

A judicial investigation was carried out to determine the origin of this accident, without overlooking the possibility of criminal act. Of the 3 cisterns involved, one had contained 2.5 tonnes of propane and another several hundred kg. The third cistern was empty but not yet degassed. An independent appraiser was commissioned to collect technical data on the accident. Initial results indicated that effects from the blast extended 50 m due to thermal radiation and up to 400 m (shattered window panes) due to the pressure surge. Pieces of cistern, sprayed as far as 900 m, destroyed a company premises located 100 m from the lorries and burned a hedge at a distance of 250 m.

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