Date: March 19, 2019
Location: Chirk, Wrexham (UK)
Address: Maesgwyn Farm, LL14 5N
Type: Dust Fire
Fuel: Wood Dust
Industry: Wood Panel Production (Wood and Wood Products)
Equipment: Conveyor Belt
Company: Kronospan
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, Kronospan is a global manufacturer of wood-based panels. It was established as an Austrian family business in 1897 and now claims to be the world’s largest wood-based panel manufacturer. Kronospan has over 40 manufacturing sites across the globe and continues to expand.
Incident Description:
On March 21, 2019, The Leader reported a fire at a wood panel production company in Chirk, UK.
A North Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said they were called to the site at 11.15 a.m. At that point, the fire, which was confined to a conveyor belt in a silo, was filling the air with thick black smoke. The factory had been undergoing expansion and the fire was in a newly built structure.
According to the Shropshire Star, people living near the factory vented their frustration on social media. One person tweeted, “They are on fire again. Enough is enough.” They were referring to the number of fires that have taken place at the site over the years.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Previous Incidents:
On August 2, 2018, the BBC reported a July 31 fire at the Kronospan panelling factory. No one was injured in the incident, which was believed to be caused by an electrical issue. The article noted that the factory had suffered numerous fires in recent years, with one in September 2017 and five in 2012 alone.
On September 8, 2017, the BBC reported a fire in a wood chip silo at the factory. This report noted the following previous incidents:
- August 2006 – fire in ducting in production area
- April 2007 – fire in building above the dryer’s furnace
- September 2007- fire in processing section
- September 2010 – fire in industrial dryer
- 2012 – one in June, two in July, one in October and one in November
In February 2017, the Health and Safety Executive issued a prohibition notice on three gas in engines at the plant as part of an investigation into a “failure to prevent a gas explosion”.
The report noted that people living near the factory had also complained about the amount of dust it produced.
Sources:
The Leader
Shropshire Star
BBC (August 2018)
BBC (September 2017)
