Event
- Event ID
- 1251
- Quality
- Description
- An explosion occurred at the fume treatment unit of a foundry. The fumes contained chlorine, used in the metal treatment process. The treatment unit function by spraying water and caustic soda. The facility was put in safe mode and the furnaces containing metal were shut down. Restarting the furnaces was subject to approval by the classified installations inspectorate.
- Event Initiating system
- Classification of the physical effects
- Hydrogen Release and Ignition
- Nature of the consequences
- Macro-region
- Europe
- Country
- France
- Date
- Main component involved?
- Treatment System
- How was it involved?
- Internal Explosion (H2-Cl2 Mixture)
- Initiating cause
- Run-Away Reaction
- Root causes
- Root CAUSE analysis
- The event was probably due to the reaction between the residues in the extraction ducts and the caustic soda, which caused a release of hydrogen. A similar event had occurred at the site seven years earlier, which had been attributed to the excessive presence of metallic dust in the unit, which in contact with water produced hydrogen (See HIAD_1250 based on ARIA 50150). At that time, several improvements were introduced to the treatment unit, to be able to monitor and detect earlier the conditions under which hydrogen is accidental produced.
Facility
- Application
- Steel And Metals Industry
- Sub-application
- Aluminium processing
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- Location type
- Open
- Operational condition
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of injured persons
- 0
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Property loss (onsite)
- low
- Official legal action
- Restarting the furnaces was subject to approval by the classified installations inspectorate.
Event Nature
- Release type
- gas-dust mixture
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2
NaOH
aluminium dust - Actual pressure (MPa)
- n.a.
- Design pressure (MPa)
- n.a.
- Presumed ignition source
- Hot surface
References
- Reference & weblink
Event nr 61581 of the French database ARIA<br />
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/61581/<br />
(accessed December 2025)
JRC assessment
- Sources categories
- ARIA
