| Case Name |
A fire at a special model manufacturer |
| Pictograph |
|
| Date |
June 10, 1989 |
| Place |
Higashimurayama, Tokyo, Japan |
| Location |
Fabricator of special forms |
| Overview |
At a factory of special formative arts, which makes exhibition products such as museum displays, unlicensing storage and handling of dangerous materials had been done in contravention of the Fire Protection Law. A fire broke out five hours after the workplace was closed and nobody was there. Although the fire seemed to be caused by carelessness or arson, or cigarette, the cause was not clear. |
| Incident |
A fire occurred 5 hours after work ended and there was nobody in the workplace. Refer to Fig2. |
| Processing |
Consumption and usage |
| Substance |
Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide, Fig3 |
| Acetone, Fig4 |
| Type of Accident |
Fire |
| Sequence |
All employees left without locking the workplace after their work finished. A fire occurred five hours later because of dangerous materials in the workplace. Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKPO), which is organic peroxide, and other dangerous materials were stored without permission. |
| Cause |
Although there was some possibility of arson, it was concluded that the cause was not clear. |
| Countermeasures |
The dangerous properties of hazardous materials listed under the Fire Protection Law should be recognized. Concretely, permission should be obtained to use and/or store dangerous materials, workplaces should be locked, and there should be sufficient storage management. |
| Knowledge Comment |
A specialist who handles dangerous materials listed by the Fire Protection Law considers hazards and takes safety measures. However, there was no awareness of hazards among consumers using dangerous materials. It is a big problem to get consumers to understand how dangerous such materials are. Consumers have a tendency to think that adhesive, paint, etc. are not dangerous materials, and it must be recognized they are still dangerous, a little less than gasoline. |
| Background |
Because of ignorance of the hazard of dangerous materials, many kinds of dangerous materials (under the Fire Protection Law) were stored and handled without permission and workers left the workplace without locking up. After the fire, it was found that a large amount of MEKPO, acetone, and many petroleum fractions were stored. |
| Incidental Discussion |
This accident occurred with dangerous materials listed in the Fire Protection Law. It is necessary to pay more attention in handling all dangerous materials used in daily life, because many dangerous materials are not controlled under the law. |
| Reason for Adding to DB |
Example of lack of awareness of general consumers to dangerous materials |
| Scenario |
| Primary Scenario
|
Organizational Problems, Poor Management, No Control for Fllamable Material, Ignorance, Insufficient Knowledge, Planning and Design, Poor Planning, No Suitable Storage Place, Malicious Act, Rule Violation, Violation to Act, Secondary Damage, External Damage, Fire, Loss to Organization, Economic Loss, Direct Monetary Damage 60 million yen
|
|
| Sources |
Fire and Disaster Management Agency, Major accident cases. Fire at special model manufacturer where materials were stored in contravention of the law. Accident cases of dangerous materials. pp.32, 362-363.
|
| Number of Injuries |
1 |
| Physical Damage |
One building of a workplace (293 square meters out of 433 square meters) was destroyed by fire. Formative arts, imitation flowers, bronze panels, books, stored acetone, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide were destroyed by fire. |
| Financial Cost |
¥62 million. (Accident cases of dangerous materials) |
| Multimedia Files |
Fig2.Schematic diagram
|
|
Fig3.Chemical formula
|
|
Fig4.Chemical formula
|
| Field |
Chemicals and Plants
|
| Author |
KOSEKI, Hirosi (National Research Institute of Fire and Disaster)
TAMURA, Masamitsu (Center for Risk Management and Safety Sciences, Yokohama National University)
|
