Explosion of Hydrogen and Sodium Borohydride in a Pharmaceutical Plant (784)
The loss of control of a reaction caused a fire in a pharmaceutical plant caused a reaction runaway and the rupture of a 6 m reactor. A cloud containing sodium borohydride and hydrogen was emitted. The production manager evacuated the installation. When the cloud reached electrical equipment, an explosion occurred. The cooling circuit was damaged. The thermal oil leaked and ignited. The fire spread to a large part of the plant. Firefighters intervened. The water of extinction was confined in basins. Storage tanks that were not affected by the fire were emptied.