C A SE

STU D Y FO R
E XP LO SIO N , I MP LO SIO N

FIRE

Industrial losses reported under

Standard Fire Policy
(Material Damage)

Explosion in Jet dyeing machine

(Textile processing plant)

W HAT HAPPENED
Re processing of dyed fabric was
undertaken in the Jet Dyeing (which is a
normal practice) to adjust quality .
After loading fabric in jet dyeing, operator
started heating and circulation of the
fabric and moved towards the control panel
for setting temperature and other
parameters.
At that instant, there was a sudden
explosion in the jet dyeing machine.
What could be route cause of explosion?

W H AT

H APPENED

Due

t o e x p l o s io n u p pe r p o rt i o n o f th e
J e t Dye i n g m/ c wa s f lo w n i n ma i n
p ro ce s si n g p l a n t & J e t Dy e i n g m / c
w a s f o u n d d e f o rm e d .
D u e t o f l ow in g o f m a t e ria l co n tro l
p a n e l a t n ea r b y wa s da mag e d ,
B u i l d i ng ro o f w as dam a g e d . St o ck a t
n e a r b y w e re t o rn d u e t o fa l l i ng o f
m a t e ri a l a n d d a m a g e d p ro p e rt y

Some of property in main processing plant

also damaged.

I NCIDENT PHOTOS
Damaged Jet Dyeing Machine and surrounding property.

I NCIDENT PHOTOS
Portion of Jet Dyeing machine thrown off due to explosion

I NCIDENT PHOTOS
Damage to surrounding property - 1

I NCID ENT

PH O TO S

Damage to surrounding property- 2

Implosion in Spray dryer unit

Ceramic Plant Gujarat

INCID ENT
450

TPD Spray dryer was in operation for

manufacturing 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 hot
air 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 adjoining
property damaged nor human injury reported

P ROBABLE CAUSE
After

the shutdown of the dryer, heaters might

have been stopped, but the air blowers might
have been kept on.
Subsequently, due to flow of cool air inside the
dryer, the hot gases/vapors which were not
escaped, the dryer (probably due to stoppage of
exhaust) might have cooled suddenly resulting
into an - Implosion.

D AMAGES
Main

chamber of spray dryer was badly in

compressed condition with insulation.
Internally, entire steel fabricated structure was
found badly deformed & compressed to great
extent.
External aluminum sheet with sera wool inside,
used was also badly damaged and deformed,
pressed inside.

PHOTOGRAPHS

P HOTOGRAPHS

P HOTOGRAPHS

Explosion in fuel storage depot due to

fuel overflow from tank under filling
-Buncefield fuel depot

P LANT SITE BEFO RE I NCID ENT

W HAT HAPPENED
Out of series of tank ,one tank fully loaded
with Petrol was ignited due to a spark.
Due to spark it got ignited and exploded
violently and subsequently fire generated
which last for four days.
In addition to depot destruction, extensive
nearby property damage, and smoke
nuisance further local ground water was
contaminated by foamy fire water runoff.
Huge quantity of impounded runoff was
decontaminated and was to be disposed off

T H E I NCIDENT
Somewhere in 2005 depot erupted in
explosion and fire.
This was one of the strongest explosion &
probably largest in Europe
Incident continued for four days
About 20 tanks were destroyed
43 People destroyed
Many nearby establishment destroyed
Ground water contaminated
Near by land fertility lost

S ITE AFTER I NCIDENT

I NCIDENT
Filling of two tanks were started in
morning thro pipe line and was
expected to continue for next
At near by truck loading was going on
One of these tank was filled to level
and level indicator stopped changing
but filling was continued(Not stopped)
This tank overfilled excessively and
started to overflow and drain in bund
Immediately vapor cloud flowing
observed from bund in all direction

I NCIDENT

Meanwhile other tank finished filling and

closed supply valve hence it cause
increase in flow rate to first tank which
lead to excessive overflow
In between one of truck driver smell fuel
odor & Simultaneously operator observed
leakage.
Started diverting the fuel filling and
operating the valves for closing supply
One of operator started fire pump. In the
course of start up probably vapor ignited
lead to the explosion & subsequently
generate the fires in the tank farm.