Date: December 6, 2018
Location: Rheinfelden, Baden (Germany)
Address: Friedrichstraße 80, 79618
Type: Potential Dust Explosion
Fuel: Unknown
Industry: Aluminium Fabrication (Manufacturing)
Equipment: Silo
Company: Alu Rheinfelden
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: Three Injured
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, Alu Rheinfelden was established in 1898 at Rheinfelden, Baden, Germany. The company has always operated in three business segments and in October 2008 restructuring turned Aluminium Rheinfelden GmbH into a holding company. Products include aluminum castings, aluminum slugs, blanks, and pre-cut parts, and high-purity ferroalloys and silicon metal.
Incident Description:
On December 6, 2018, Baden FM reported an explosion at an aluminum factory in Rheinfelden, Germany.
The incident occurred while quicklime was being loaded into a silo container. Authorities believed that pressure may have accumulated during the process of pumping. The three injuries occurred from employees coming into contact with the resulting cloud of quicklime. The workers who came into contact with the chemical were treated at a clinic for eye irritation.
The authorities are still investigating the incident. Although it was reported as an over-pressurization of equipment, we have listed it as a potential dust explosion due to the possible vicinity of aluminum dust and relevance to metal fabrication industries handling powdered materials.
Sources:
Baden FM
