Fire and explosion occur at a battery factory in Hunan; enhanced fire prevention measures are needed for hazardous chemicals in winter

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Fires are relentless; they not only cause property losses but also claim lives. Not only in daily life do we need to be careful about fire prevention, but in chemical manufacturing it is even more important to identify potential safety hazards in order to prevent accidents. This is because some workshops that contain flammable and explosive materials are prone to fires or explosions when exposed to open flames. At around 6 p.m. on January 7, a fire broke out in a workshop in an industrial park in the High-Tech Zone of Ningxiang City, Changsha, Hunan Province; huge fireballs were generated during the blaze. After the accident, the main officials from the Ningxiang Municipal Party Committee, the municipal government, and the management committee of Ningxiang High-Tech Zone rushed to the scene immediately. The Changsha Fire Department dispatched 14 fire stations, 36 fire trucks, and 288 firefighters to handle the situation at the scene. At around 20:12 that night, Ningxiang City issued a statement stating that the explosion and fire originated in the old factory workshop of Hunan Bangpu Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. The latest updates indicate that the accident resulted in 1 death, 6 people with serious injuries, and 14 people with minor injuries. All the injured have been taken to hospitals for treatment, and none of them is in life-threatening condition. The cause of the accident is under further investigation. http://p4.itc.cn/images01/20210108/0235297dc868405582e900753e3a27af.png According to media reports, the workshop where the incident occurred was a factory for processing used batteries. Videos shot at the scene showed two explosions occurring before and after the accident, with giant mushroom clouds rising into the sky after the explosions, visible even several kilometers away. According to the injured worker, materials caught fire at that time and everyone tried to put out the fire by bringing water, but that material could not be exposed to water as it would explode if it came into contact with it. The workers were all inside during the first explosion; they all came out after that explosion, and the injured were those who were hurt by the force of the first explosion. It is hereby reminded that chemical companies should strengthen fire safety training for their employees, as different chemical materials require different methods for extinguishing fires. Incorrect fire-fighting methods not only fail to put out the fire but may even intensify it or even cause an explosion. According to Tianyancha, Hunan Bangpu is a subsidiary of CATL. According to Bump’s official website, Hunan Bump is currently the largest high-tech enterprise in China for the recycling of used lithium batteries and the production of high-end battery materials. The annual volume of waste batteries recycled and processed exceeds 6,000 tons, while the annual production of nickel-cobalt-manganese hydroxide (ternary precursor), lithium nickel-cobalt-manganese oxide (ternary material), lithium cobalt oxide, cobalt chloride, nickel sulfate, cobalt sulfate, and cobalt tetraoxide amounts to 4,500 tons. The accident at Hunan Bangpu could trigger a new round of price increases. It is hoped that various enterprises and factories will take this as a warning. Chemical production involves many flammable materials, so fire safety cannot be ignored. It is essential to properly control the use of electricity and open flames. During the production process, fire safety must not be taken lightly; measures to prevent fires must be put in place, potential safety hazards must be identified, standard operating procedures must be followed, employee training on fire safety must be enhanced, and equipment must be inspected regularly in order to prevent accidents from occurring in the first place. The news content in this article is sourced from the Internet.