A plastic factory in Banksmeadow, near Sydney Airport, caught fire on Tuesday morning. The fire started in the plant’s 70-metre-high cooling tower, causing fears of a potential explosion.
The cooling tower could have collapsed onto six tanks containing “1,700 cubic metres of potentially-explosive hydrogen” on a neighbouring property.
Firefighters and HAZMAT arrived at the scene to remove each hydrogen tank from the property.
They rigged up the tractor unit to each trailer, one by one, and relocated them to a safe location, according to a statement from Fire and Rescue NSW. An 800m exclusion zone was created around the plant while the tanks were being removed.
The firefighters initially attended the scene at around 6am after flames were seen bursting out of an exhaust stack. They left soon after as they believed there was little risk.
However, they returned hours later after timber support holding up the plant’s cooling tower sustained damage.
Although the potential explosion was averted, there are still fears that the cooling tower may collapse and cause damage.
The earlier precautionary evacuation notice has been withdrawn, but a small exclusion zone will be set up around the tower while the risk of collapse remains.
»Plastic factory in Banksmeadow catches fire«
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