Date: June 19, 2020
Location: Erith, Bexley (UK)
Address: Church Manorway, Erith DA8 1DL
Type: Dust Explosion
Fuel: Grain Dust
Industry: Oilseed Processing (Food Processing)
Equipment: Silo
Company: ADM (UK)
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: Three Injured
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, ADM is a leading agricultural processor and food ingredient provider with an estimated 31,000 employees serving customers in over 170 countries. It was founded in 1902 in Minneapolis as Daniels Linseed Co. and became Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) in 1923.
Today, its holdings include 500 crop procurement locations, 270 food and feed ingredient manufacturing facilities, and 44 innovation centers. The plant in Erith processes about one million tons of rapeseed each year and produces about 385,00 tons of refined oil for food ingredients and biofuels.
Incident Description:
On June 19, 2020, the BBC reported an explosion at an oilseed processing plant in London, UK.
Witnesses reported hearing a “huge blast” at the factory at around 9:00 a.m., followed by the appearance of a fire. One worker at a nearby business said he ran outside after “a huge explosion shook our building.”
The company confirmed that three contractors working in a nearby silo were receiving hospital treatment for injuries, which the police described as “consistent with burns.”
Over 400 workers were evacuated from neighboring businesses, many of which had their operations interrupted by the evacuation.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation. After evacuation, the company was shut down.
