Date: December 27, 2019
Location: Divinópolis, Minas Gerais (Brazil)
Address: MG-050, 119 – Santa Luzia, 35502-226
Type: Dust Explosion
Fuel: Coal Dust
Industry: Steelworks (Manufacturing)
Equipment: Silo
Company: Siderúrgica União
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: Two Killed, One Injured
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company’s website, Siderúrgica União is a steelworking company located in Divinópolis, Brazil. It was founded in 1995 and employs between 250 and 500 people.
Incident Description:
On December 27, 2019, Hoje Emdia reported an explosion at a steel mill in Divinópolis, Brazil.
A team of 17 firefighters worked for four hours to fight the fire. Three people were injured. One man suffered burns to 80% of his body, another had burns covering 90% of his body, and a third had eye burns. All three were conveyed to local hospitals for emergency treatment. R7, a news site, later reported that one of the men subsequently died.
According to the fire department, a storage silo containing coal dust overheated, causing an explosion that quickly spread to other areas of the company. Representatives stated that company employees had failed to open a mechanism that acts as a relief valve.
The police stated that an inquiry has been opened to investigate the cause of the incident.
Update:
A second of the three men admitted to hospital with injuries from the incident has died. R7 Minas Gerais reported that Márcio Gomes da Silva, 45, was admitted in serious condition on December 28, 2019, and succumbed to his injuries on January 2, 2020.
Sources:
Hoje Emdia
R7
R7
