A Michigan manufacturing plant is a complete loss after experiencing a combustible metal dust fire on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. The building was a foundry that made aluminum castings for the automotive industry, and the metal dust and oils from this process are believed to be what let the fire spread so quickly.
The fire began in the rear of the plant when an equipment malfunction created a spark, which then caused the oils and metal dust in the building to ignite. The fire spread quickly to the other side of the 75,000 square foot building, and by the time firefighters arrived they realized the entire building would be a complete loss, and took a defensive stance in their firefighting.
Eventually the walls of the building collapsed from the heat of the combustible metal dust fire, and firefighters used ladder trucks to spray water down into the rubble to cool any hot spots.
Luckily all of the employees evacuated the building safely with no injuries, and as the firefighters were leaving the scene the CEO of the company addressed his employees to let them know that the plant would be rebuilt and everyone would get to keep their jobs. While the plant is being rebuilt the employees will be reassigned to other casting foundries in the area, and workers are hoping the custom dies and toolings that were made for customers will be able to be salvaged and used at these other locations.
What makes this fire frustrating for everyone is that according to the CEO, this plant was far not like the dusty, dirty foundries of the past, and was “probably one of the cleanest foundries on the planet.” Yet, there was still enough combustible material in the area to fuel a fire that leveled the building.
