CASE STUDY FOR

EXPLOSION, IMPLOSION

FIRE

I n d u s t r i a l l o s s e s r e p o r t e d u n d e r

S t a n d a r d F i r e P o l i c y

( M a t e r i a l D a m a g e )

E x p l o s i o n i n J e t d y e i n g m a c h i n e

(Textile processing plant)

WHAT HAPPENED

Re process ing o f dyed fabr ic was

undertaken in the Jet Dyeing (which i s a

normal pract i ce ) to ad just qual i ty .

After loading fabr ic in je t dye ing , operator

s tarted heat ing and c i rculat ion o f the

fabr ic and moved towards the contro l panel

f or set t ing temperature and other

parameters .

At that instant , there was a sudden

explos ion in the je t dye ing machine .

What could be route cause o f explos ion?

WHAT HAPPENED

Due to explosion upper portion of theJet Dyeing m/c was flown in mainprocessing plant & Jet Dyeing m/cwas found deformed.

Due to flowing of material controlpanel at near by was damaged,Building roof was damaged. Stock atnear by were torn due to fall ing ofmaterial and damaged property

Some o f proper ty in ma in process ing p lant a l so damaged .

INCIDENT PHOTOS

D a m a g e d J e t D y e i n g M a c h i n e a n d s u r r o u n d i n g p r o p e r t y .

INCIDENT PHOTOS

P o r t i o n o f J e t D y e i n g m a c h i n e t h r o w n o f f d u e t o e x p l o s i o n

INCIDENT PHOTOS

Damage to surrounding property - 1

INCIDENT PHOTOS

Damage to surrounding property- 2

I m p l o s i o n i n S p r a y d r y e r u n i t

C e r a m i c P l a n t G u j a r a t

INCIDENT

450 TPD Spray dryer was in operation formanufacturing of clay.

Evaporation rate of Sprayer dryer was 8000 Kg/Hr.and operating at 650 to 7000C.

Unit was hollow vessel (cone type at bottom)insulated with sera wool.

Clay slurry was sprayed through spray guns and hotair was blown

Spray dryer was shut down after completion of lot.Within few minutes dryer imploded severely

There was no fire or smoke observed nor adjoiningproperty damaged nor human injury reported

PROBABLE CAUSE

After the shutdown of the dryer, heaters mighthave been stopped, but the air blowers mighthave been kept on.

Subsequently, due to flow of cool air inside thedryer, the hot gases/vapors which were notescaped, the dryer (probably due to stoppage ofexhaust) might have cooled suddenly resultinginto an - Implosion.

DAMAGES

Main chamber of spray dryer was badly incompressed condition with insulation.

Internally, entire steel fabricated structure wasfound badly deformed & compressed to greatextent.

External aluminum sheet with sera wool inside,used was also badly damaged and deformed,pressed inside.

PHOTOGRAPHS

PHOTOGRAPHS

PHOTOGRAPHS

E x p l o s i o n i n f u e l s t o r a g e d e p o t d u e t o

f u e l o v e r f l o w f r o m t a n k u n d e r f i l l i n g

- B u n c e f i e l d f u e l d e p o t

PLANT SITE BEFORE INCIDENT

WHAT HAPPENED

Out o f ser ies o f tank ,one tank fu l ly loaded

with Petro l was igni ted due to a spark .

Due to spark i t got igni ted and exploded

v io lent ly and subsequent ly f i re generated

which last for four days .

In addi t ion to depot destruct ion , extens ive

nearby property damage , and smoke

nuisance further loca l ground water was

contaminated by foamy f i re water runof f .

Huge quant i ty o f impounded runof f was

decontaminated and was to be d isposed o f f

THE INCIDENT

Somewhere in 2005 depot erupted in

explos ion and f i re .

This was one o f the s trongest explos ion &

probably largest in Europe

Inc ident cont inued for four days

About 20 tanks were destroyed

43 People destroyed

Many nearby establ ishment destroyed

Ground water contaminated

Near by land fer t i l i ty los t

SITE AFTER INCIDENT

INCIDENT

Fi l l ing o f two tanks were s tarted in

morning thro p ipe l ine and was

expected to cont inue for next

At near by truck loading was go ing on

One o f these tank was f i l l ed to leve l

and leve l indicator s topped changing

but f i l l ing was cont inued(Not s topped)

This tank over f i l l ed excess ive ly and

s tarted to over f low and drain in bund

Immediate ly vapor c loud f lowing

observed f rom bund in a l l d i rect ion

INCIDENT

Meanwhi l e o ther tank f in i shed f i l l ing and

c l o sed supp ly va lve hence i t cause

increase in f l ow ra te t o f i r s t tank whi ch

l ead t o excess ive over f l ow

In be tween one o f t ruck dr iver sme l l fue l

odor & S imul taneous ly opera to r observed

l eakage .

Star ted d iver t ing the fue l f i l l ing and

opera t ing the va lves f o r c l o s ing supp ly

One o f opera to r s tar ted f i r e pump. In the

course o f s tar t up probab ly vapor i gn i ted

l ead t o the exp los i on & subsequent ly

genera te the f i r e s in the tank fa rm.