Date: June 10, 2023
Location: Berea, Kentucky (USA)
Address: 302 Mayde Road #9778, 40403
Type: Dust Fire
Fuel: Aluminum Dust
Industry: Aluminum Rolling and Recycling
Equipment: Unknown
Company: Novelis
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to its website, Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, an industry leader in aluminum, copper and metals; and a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group based in Mumbai, India. The company operates an integrated network of rolling and recycling facilities across North America, South America, Europe and Asia.
Incident Description:
On June 10, 2023, the Richmond Register reported a fire at an aluminum rolling and recycling plant in Berea, Kentucky.
Fire crews were called to the scene around 3:30 p.m. Extinguishing the fire in the molten aluminum processing zone required firefighters to work in 320-degree heat. Their strategy involved removing the aluminum dust to deprive the fire of fuel. The task was made more difficult by the high temperatures outside, which reached the 80s. Off-duty firefighters from Berea voluntarily joined the effort to relieve their colleagues in the intense heat.
The fire chief described the fire as one of the most severe incidents in the Berea Industrial Park. The situation was particularly dangerous due to the potential rapid spread of fire through the ignition of aluminum dust, a byproduct of the factory’s operations.
Firefighters remained on the scene until 11:00 p.m.
No injuries were reported.
Sources:
Richmond Register
