The event occurred in the continuous casting of hot metallic melt of the plant.Cooling water leaked through a crack in the cooling water inlet pipe of a secondary cooling line and directly into the hot melt (temperature > 1500 C). This resulted in the formation of hydrogen which ignited on the hot surface. The pipe in question had been in operation for a prolonged period. The material analyses of the component showed that the rupture occurred as a consequence of fatigue. The annual visual inspection had revealed no signs of imminent failure.

The fire, 1 m high fire occurred in a pipe at the inlet of the hydrodesulfurisation unit of a refinery. The fire was caused by the leak of the pipe content, hydrogen and diesel fuel. According to the first elements of observation, a leak on a bolted assembly (flange) at the level of an insulation gasket of the reactor would be at the origin of the incident.The fire was detected visually and was located 25 m above the ground. The personnel was evacuated. The operator did not extinguish the flame in order not to generate a hydrogen cloud, which is highly explosive.

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.

Employees were trying to open the manhole cover (600 mm diameter) of a hydrofluoric acid tank with a grinder, when an explosion occurred. The explosion was probably caused by the presence of hydrogen formed by the acid attack of the metal.

The operator detected a leak of aerosol hydrocarbons (diesel, hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide) in the diesel desulfurisation unit, causing a release of hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide at the top of the unit. The leak was located at the outlet of the desulfurization reactor, in the cooling towers. The cloud of hydrocarbon aerosols was released at a 10 m height due to the fan of the cooling tower at the origin of the leak. The cloud quickly dispersed into the air. The operator initiated the automatic shut-down of the unit and the cooling of the walls of the furnace.

The boat was a 6.5 m semi-rigid electric-powered inflatable canoe, mainly used for greeting and directing pleasure boaters in harbour.It exploded without a flame shortly when an employee of the harbour master's office turned on the ignition after unplugging the batteries. The back of the boat was projected into the air, together with the employee, which was hospitalised. The boat was completely destroyed. Purchased three months before, this boat was one of the three pre-series prototype boats in service in marinas.

The event occurred in a silicon hydride (SiH) emulsion production process inside an enclosed production building. The process generated a flammable gas cloud gas ignited, which later ignited causing an explosion and fire.The explosion caused four fatalities and one injured worker, heavily damaged the production building and its force was felt up to 20 miles away. According to the CSB preliminary report, various investigations are still ongoing to understand in details the sequence of events of this accident.

In a plant producing calcium carbide (CaO + 3C -> CaC2 + CO), a dust collector clogged, probably due to the failure of the cleaning device (nitrogen nozzles) which allowed the dust to build a plug.During the procedure of introducing a poker through an inspection hatch at the lower level, a small explosion occurs and a large amount of dust is ejected through the vent. The cloud containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen ignited. The fire spread to the electrical cables supplying the equipment.

In a graphite purification workshop, the cooling circuit of an electric furnace leaks, the water decomposes in contact with materials heated to a temperature of 1,800C; the gas mixture (hydrogen, air...) explodes. The carbon contained in the furnace is dispersed and ignites.

In the collective treatment plant of a chemical platform, the truck tank of 25 m containing hydrochloric acid (HCl) rose in pressure at 11 am; leakage of acid solution and gas evolution occurred in the upper part of the tank.The emergency plan of the site was triggered. The rescue confined 5 employees and switched off the electrical power on the site. The police interrupted the traffic. Reliefs opened the manhole of the tank to reduce the internal pressure. At 6pm, they measure 124, 923 and 230 ppm of HCl around the 3 manholes and a hydrogen (H2) level below the LEL.