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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Fire at a generator of a power plant

Event

Event ID
276
Quality
Description
A leak of a compression fitting lead to the build up of an explosive air/hydrogen mixture in the generator pit. The ignition of the mixture was caused by corona discharge.
The resultant explosion caused substantial damage to generator and structure.
No injuries to personnel.
Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Hydrogen Release and Ignition
Nature of the consequences
Macro-region
Europe
Country
United Kingdom
Date
How was it involved?
Internal Leak
Initiating cause
Unknown
Root causes
Root CAUSE analysis
The INITIATING cause was a leaking fitting.
Nothing can be said on the root cause

Facility

Application
Power Plant
Sub-application
unspecified
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected
generator
Location type
Confined
Operational condition

Emergency & Consequences

Number of injured persons
1
Number of fatalities
0
Emergency action
01:02 a.m. The explosion followed by fire was reported on the emergency number 112. The emergency shutdown procedure was implemented by activating the ESD system, followed by emergency depressurisation, nitrogen purging and isolation of the affected area.
01:15 External firefighters arrived onsite (4 officers and 35 non-commissioned officers, 3 fire engines, 1 CBRN, 1 tanker, 1 rescue truck, 1 first intervention and command vehicle) With the plant firefighters (12 firefighters) intervened to extinguish the fire with the powder and nitrogen truck and fire extinguishers.
The dispatcher's coordinating doctor assigned 5 SMURD(Mobile Emergency, Resuscitation and Rescue Service) and 4 SAJ(County Ambulance Service) teams to the scene of the intervention. Measurements were made by the CBRN crew and it was found that there were no leaks of hazardous substances into the atmosphere.
01:31, since there were no particular dangers and the situation was under control, a message was sent to the population to prevent panic.
02:45 the fire was extinguished.

Event Nature

Release type
gas
Involved substances (% vol)
H2 100%
Presumed ignition source
Short circuit
Deflagration
N
High pressure explosion
Y
High voltage explosion
N

References

Reference & weblink

Event description provided by HSE, original source confidential

JRC assessment