Lubrizol: the fire seems to have started from the site and not from its neighbor

An expert's report on the fire that affected Lubrizol in particular in 2019 in Rouen favors the hypothesis of a fire starting from this Seveso site, contrary to the company's claims until then, according to the conclusions of the report whose AFP obtained a copy.

"The origin of the fire could not be precisely and formally located. At this stage (...) we favor a departure from the influence of the company LZ" that is to say Lubrizol, perhaps. we read in these conclusions notified to the civil parties.

This expertise follows requests from the Paris prosecutor's office, which is investigating this extraordinary fire in which nearly 10,000 tonnes of chemicals burned, on the Lubrizol site and that of its neighbor Normandie Logistique.

Lubrizol management has repeatedly stated, including before the Senate commission of inquiry into the incident, that it believed the "source of the fire was outside" its site.

For its part, Normandie Logistique replied that it was "almost impossible" for the fire to start from its own premises.

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Several hypotheses to explain the cause of the incident 

Regarding the cause of the incident, experts are considering "several hypotheses".

Among them, they note that "cannot be generally excluded the case of improper handling or action that would be contrary to the security rules in place on the site. In particular, the observation through video surveillance recordings, movements of a handling machine in the environment of the area of ​​interest reinforces this hypothesis ".

"Indeed, the accidental deterioration of a container, following a machine maneuver can lead to a fire starting from its contents", they specify.

"The human intervention" envisaged in this hypothesis could have been "either fortuitous or deliberate", they add.

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Experts consider a technical cause 

But the experts also envisage a technical cause, without human intervention, "which could be linked to an energy source located in the area of ​​interest".

"On this point the only source of energy that has been identified is exterior lighting," the experts specify.

"Lubrizol will examine with the greatest attention the entire expert report to request, if necessary, additional expertise or a second opinion", commented the company owned by the American billionaire Warren Buffet in a press release sent Monday to the 'AFP.

For its part, the association Union of the victims of Lubrizol in a statement "welcomed these clarifications", even if the time is only "hypotheses".

"Polluters / Payer", we will have to pay heavily, we hope, so that never again ", added the association.