France: the explosion in a powder snow classified Seveso injures several people in Bergerac
Firefighters on exercise on April 23, 2021 (Illustration image).
AFP - LUDOVIC MARIN
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Eight people were injured, including one seriously, this Wednesday, August 3 after "
several explosions
" of unknown origin which occurred on the site of the Eurenco powder factory in Bergerac, in the south-west of France.
The plant is classified Seveso “high threshold”.
Advertising
Read more
The prefecture of the Dordogne indicated in a press release that "
several explosions took place at the beginning of the afternoon on the site of the powder factory of Eurenco
", a factory located east of Bergerac and classified "
Seveso threshold high
".
The site, known locally as the “Poudrerie de Bergerac” produces nitrocellulose for ammunition.
The explosions, whose origin was still undetermined at the end of the afternoon, occurred in “
one of the storage buildings, which caused a fire
”, a fire now “
limited
” and which “
does not progress
” , said the prefecture.
The White plan, which provides for the mobilization of health establishments in the event of an emergency, was activated “
in order to facilitate the care of victims
”.
The prefecture immediately wanted to reassure the population by indicating that “
at this stage, the incident has no impact outside the site
”.
Forty people were then on site and all staff were evacuated.
The explosions occurred during "
maintenance operations
" when "nitrocellulose contained in a workshop ignited", said the Eurenco group in a press release, assuring that the situation was "
under control
".
Administrative investigation to determine the causes
“
It will take an administrative investigation to be able to determine the causes of this incident
”, declared the sub-prefect Jean-Charles Jobard during a press briefing.
According to him, the incident took place in a building which contained “
less than two tons of nitrocellulose
”.
A security perimeter has been established around the site and significant resources deployed with the presence of 61 firefighters and around thirty vehicles, 20 police officers and two Samu helicopters.
At the end of the afternoon, there remained in front of the gates of the site only a truck and two fire engines.
Employees, uninjured and gathered on the forecourt of a building, had been taken care of by the Red Cross before leaving the scene.
The entire boulevard leading to the site, located less than 4 km from the town center of Bergerac, was cordoned off by the police and prohibited to traffic.
No smoke was visible around the site, completely emptied of its employees, whose gates were fully open to allow the passage of emergency vehicles.
(
With
AFP)
►Also read: France: incident in a Seveso-classified factory in Rouen
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
France
Industry