Willebroek (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – A massive fire at Indaver’s waste facility in Willebroek is nearly out after 600 tons of pressed PMD waste burned, prompting major emergency response efforts.
A fire broke out in 600 tons of crushed PMD material. There was a big smoke plume from the fire, but no new smoke is growing. According to measurements made throughout the province, there were no harmful compounds present in the smoke.
Indaver is situated on the Boomsesteenweg, close to the A12, to the north of Willebroek, Belgium. On Thursday night, the fire began. No one was hurt.
There hasn’t been any smoke development since Friday afternoon, and the fire department is reducing the scope of their response.
With a command post on location, the operational coordination phase is coming to an end. In order to put out any potential flare-ups, a small fire department team will stay on the scene.
There will be a temporary closure of the Boomsesteenweg between the Hoeikensstraat and the Gansdijk. By Friday afternoon, the road will be reopened, and nearby businesses will once more be reachable. Willebroek’s recycling park won’t reopen until Saturday.
They received images and videos from readers of the smoke plume that was visible from a great distance. What dangerous chemicals might be present in the smoke was the question.
“At Indaver, the PMD bag is sorted,”
Says VRT science journalist Koen Wauters.
“The fire started in the warehouse where all the compressed plastic bottles are stored. So it is a gigantic mountain of plastic that is burning.”
On Thursday evening, measurements were made at several places to see if there were any harmful compounds in the smoke. However, that didn’t seem to be the case.
“We do not see any increased levels of hazardous substances,”
Says Tine Hendrickx of the Rivierenland fire brigade.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Residents are encouraged to wash their hands well before handling fire leftovers, but they are free to clean them up and dispose of them in the residual rubbish.
Even though there is still some olfactory nuisance, residents who kept their doors and windows closed throughout the smoke buildup are now being advised to thoroughly ventilate.
The damage at Indaver is limited to the storage warehouse where the fire broke out.
“The fire brigade managed to save all the other buildings. We hope to be able to process PMD again as soon as possible,”
Says Rob Kruitwagen of Indaver.
“All the buildings have remained intact thanks to the fire brigade,”
Kruitwagen continues.
“We can therefore continue our activities, but we still have to wait until the site is released. At the moment, they are still extinguishing the fire.”
Mayor of Willebroek Eddy Bevers (N-VA) is satisfied with the work of the emergency services:
“I am happy that they worked so professionally. I am proud of them.”
What measures were taken to prevent toxic smoke from spreading during the fire?
To separate the building, the facility probably used fire-resistant barriers including cavity barriers and fire doors. By keeping smoke from quickly spreading through ducts, cavities, or adjacent spaces, these barriers aid in keeping fire and smoke contained inside small regions.
This containment restricts exposure and lowers the amount of smoke produced outdoors.
One or more of the fire triangle’s components—heat, fuel, and oxygen—must be eliminated or isolated in order to follow fire safety guidelines.
This might involve separating flammable goods, employing fire-resistant storage techniques, and managing ventilation to restrict the fire’s oxygen supply, which would lessen the amount of smoke produced and its spread in a waste processing facility.
