Paris (AFP)

Nearly a month after the Lubrizol factory fire in Rouen, Eric Schnur, CEO of the US group, reiterated Tuesday that the incident occurred outside the site and ensured that the consumed products did not show up. "no threat to health".

Mr. Schnur was heard for nearly two hours by the information mission of the National Assembly, devoted to the fire that occurred on September 26 at the Lubrizol plant in Rouen.

He was then to be auditioned in the afternoon by the Senate Committee of Inquiry on the same theme, while in Rouen began on the site the treatment of 160 damaged drums, before their evacuation.

According to the US CEO, the fire at the Lubrizol factory "went off" outside the site. "All the information we have indicates that the fire has started outside our facilities, but we are waiting to know exactly where it came from and what the cause is," Schnur told the deputies.

"I was able to see two videos after the fire that lead us to think that the fire started off our site," he said. In these videos, "we just see a fire happening on our site, but we do not know what is happening on the other side."

Lubrizol's boss said the company was "fully involved in the ongoing investigation", noting that videos and information about the fire alarm system were available.

He has repeatedly expressed his expectations for a quick response to questions about the origin of fire.

- "Good neighbor" -

Eric Schnur assured that the group intends to assume its share of compensation, to compensate farmers but also the tourism sector, without raising the amount.

"I do not have a budget (pre-established), we want to be good neighbors, we want to help," he said. "I have committed millions of euros and I will do even more if it is necessary, we want to work with local authorities."

In his introduction to the debate, the chairman of the information mission, the Socialist deputy of Saint-Maritime Christophe Bouillon had raised the question of compensation. "Where are you today?" He asked.

The Minister of Agriculture Didier Guillaume mentioned a damage estimated "between 40 and 50 million" for farmers.

Regarding the Lubrizol employees in Rouen, "their salaries are paid in full," said Schnur, who said he met some of them during his visit in early October.

He indicated that he planned to go to Rouen "later in the week" and raised the hypothesis of a restart of activities in the production part, "which was not damaged by the fire", unlike at the storage part of the site. A "key issue" for both employees and Lubrizol customers.

The boss of Lubrizol further pointed out that the products that burned in the plant and on the neighboring site of Normandie Logistique are known precisely and are not dangerous for health.

"We can say that these substances pose no threat to health, either in the short term or in the long term, apart from temporary irritations normally caused by smoke on the day of the fire," he said.

"But we understand that concerns persist," he said.

In the afternoon, Eric Schnur was again called to speak, this time before the Senate inquiry commission, chaired by the centrist senator of Eure Hervé Maurey.

The Senate commission is scheduled to visit Rouen Thursday to visit the Lubrizol site and meet with stakeholders.

Some 5,253 tons of chemicals were burned in the Lubrizol plant, as well as 4,250 tons of products in warehouses of the neighboring Normandie Logistique, also affected (including 1,691 tons also from Lubrizol).

© 2019 AFP