Fire at a Professional Laundry Service Facility

INCIDENT

A laundry service provider in the Netherlands that caters to hotels and restaurants recently experienced a significant setback due to a fire that damaged their equipment and resulted in extended downtime. The fire is believed to have been caused by a build-up of dust, which was a result of their standard operating procedures.

CHALLENGES

The machinery used in the laundry service generates heat due to its size and type of activity. When combined with a contaminated environment that increases friction and heat, as well as flammable materials such as linen, fabric, and wool, it can create hazardous situations. In this specific case, it appeared that the machinery was the direct cause or at least played a part in spreading the fire that occurred.

After the incident, the laundry service provider was completely closed for several days and then started working at limited capacity for several weeks. The dryer that was affected was destroyed, while the rest of the facility's equipment needed thorough reconditioning before operations could restart. AREPA sent a dedicated team to support our customers for multiple weeks, ensuring that they could get up and running in the shortest possible time. We also provided daily progress updates to keep them informed.

OUTCOME

AREPA played a crucial role in the quick recovery after the incident. Alongside the customer's efforts, other companies, such as construction and painters, also contributed to the operation being up and running again within four weeks. During this time, it was considered that the incident may have been prevented if timely preventive reconditioning and removal of flammable residues from the production process, such as linen and dry dust, had been carried out.

MITIGATING RISKS

In many production environments, particularly those that handle flammable or electrically conductive materials, risks can arise in the form of residue, dust, liquids, and metals accumulating over time, which can increase the risk of fire or electrical arcing. By implementing timely preventive maintenance, the risk can be significantly reduced at only a fraction of the cost of decontamination and replacement. If budgeted accordingly, preventive maintenance can be seamlessly integrated into regular maintenance schedules. At AREPA, we are available to provide advice and establish partnerships to assist you.