Accidental Hydrogen Production and Fire in a Electrical Products Plant
Heavy rains (more than 600 mm in 1 day) had flood a factory manufacturing calcium core electrical conductors. The power supply was cut off. The water came into contact with the calcium stored in 150 kg containers, producing hydrogen (7.5 kg per container). The heat of reaction ignited the gas. The fire was extinguished with sand.
Event Date
September 30, 1997
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Causes (Select all applicable options):
Cause Comments
The ARIA report (see references) identifies as possible root cause the fact that the calcium containers were the probably insufficiently sealed to deal with the abnormal quantity of water cumulated.
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
calcium storage containers
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Unknown
Pre-event Summary
Heavy rains (more than 600 mm in 1 day) had flood the factory.
Number of Fatalities
1
Currency
Emergency Action
Unknown
Release Type
Release Substance
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Flame Type
Source Category
References
Event description in the French database ARIA
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/14162/
(accessed October 2020)