Date: August 5, 2020
Location: Velbert, North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany)
Address: Siemensstrasse, 42551
Type: Dust Explosion
Fuel: Aluminum Dust
Industry: Aluminum Recycling
Equipment: Unknown
Company: Unknown
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: Two Injured
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
The aluminum recycling plant involved in this incident was not identified in any press coverage.
Incident Description:
On August 7, 2020, Luettringhauser reported an explosion and fire at an aluminum recycling facility in Velbert, Germany.
An employee suffered severe burns and was transported by rescue helicopter to a special clinic in Cologne-Merheim while the employee of another company, who was present when the incident occurred, was taken to the hospital.
The firefighter spent hours fighting the metal fire with salt. Several truckloads were delivered to the site. However, the fire brigade had to stop work after a structural engineer warned that the half-open workshop in which the accident occurred was in danger of collapsing.
Emergency personnel arrived to assess the hazard. A salvage company broke a hole in the building wall so that the required measuring instruments could be installed. In the evening, an excavator removed much of the metal and, to stop any further combustion reactions, a crane truck with a bulk bucket was requested in the late evening. Firefighters also worked to put out flare-ups in a neighboring composting yard.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
Sources:
Luettringhauser
