Selected Cases: Fire & Explosion Investigation

Fires at Malden Mills Textile Plant

Two separate fires occurred at the Malden Mill textile plant in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The latter, a catastrophic fire, destroyed approximately one square block of the textile production facility resulting in total damages of approximately $500 to $800 million, making it one of the costliest industrial fire losses in United States history.

Rapperport Associates was retained to investigate the cause and origin of both fires. The team assisted in sifting through tons of rubble, participated in witness interviews and reviewed voluminous file material. They developed a combustion model that was consistent with the available fuel load, physical evidence and witness observations.

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Mill Fire

The Bernat Mill in Uxbridge Massachusetts, once the third largest yarn mill in the U.S., is now known as the site of one of the region’s most devastating fires. In July 2007, a fire erupted in the 400,000 square foot mixed use business complex. Although 400 firefighters from 66 communities responded to the blaze, the complex was completely destroyed. The property and business losses suffered by 65 businesses following the fire were estimated to be many millions of dollars.

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Pressure Vessel Explosion

A massive 220,000 lb steel pressure vessel exploded sending fragments, some in excess of 30,000 lbs, hundreds of feet. A 2,000 pound fragment was found resting on railroad tracks a quarter mile away. The roof and walls of the plant were blown off from by the force of the explosion. Reconstruction of the plant cost more than 17 million dollars.

Rapperport Associates was retained to determine the cause of the explosion. Testing in various aqueous environments was conducted on the subject vessel steel to characterize the material properties. A thermal finite element stress analysis was performed to determine operating stresses. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination was performed to identify the crack initiation sites. The data indicated that improper cooling water treatment resulted in stress corrosion cracking which dramatically reduced the life expectancy of the vessel.

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Nitroglycerine Pump Explosion

A pump explosion killed two workers during the mixing process of nitroglycerine with various polymers to manufacture heart patches. The pump fragments were recovered and carefully analyzed.

Rapperport Associates was retained to determine the cause of the accident. A detailed examination of the fragment damage yielded clues to the failure sequence and ultimately to the cause of the failure. A pump redesign was proposed and built, eliminating the design flaw that resulted in collection of fugitive nitroglycerine setting the stage for the explosion.

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Fire at Shenandoah Industrial Rubber Company:

Two workers were severely burned at an industrial tank lining facility in Roanoke, Virginia. We developed a computer model to determine regions where combustion could have occurred during contact cement application. This two fluid, gravity stratified, computational fluid dynamics model of hydrocarbon vapor formation was verified with smoke experiments conducted in the actual plant. The results ruled out ignition from an overhead heater pilot or exhaust fan blade/shroud contact as claimed. The ignition source was demonstrated to be within the tank, where a cigarette lighter was found.

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