Incident contained in the plant of the Fiber Excellence company in Saint-Gaudens
On Saturday May 15, 2021, around 7:00 p.m., an incident occurred on the Saint-Gaudens site of the Fiber Excellence company, a pulp manufacturer, and classified as “Seveso II – high threshold”.
The black liquor boiler at the Fiber Excellence site suffered a loss of tightness at 7.20 pm. Molten sodium at 950 ° C (saline) flowed out causing low-intensity explosions, due in part to contact with water. Some fumes were also observed. The impact of this incident is limited inside the site.
In accordance with the regulatory procedures incumbent on it, the operator has triggered its internal operation plan (POI), in which a procedure provides for the shutdown of the supply to the boiler in the event of an incident. This operation stopped the flow of saline, which is being cooled. In addition, sandbags were placed near the saline piles to prevent any further contact with liquid products.
The operator has established a safety perimeter of 200 meters around the boiler. This perimeter remains within the limits of the site. The chlorine dioxide and sodium chlorate storage facilities, which classify the “Seveso high threshold” site, are far from the disaster area. The factory is shut down and the loss is diminishing.