A two-alarm fire broke out on May 6 at a New Hampshire machine shop, the Nashua Patch reported. The fire occurred at Omni Components Parts, which provides precision machining services to companies working in the medical, optical, electronic and aerospace industries.
Although the cause of the fire is officially listed as "undetermined," reports indicate that a worker first saw the fire at approximately 11:55 a.m. beneath a metal lathe, a piece of machinery commonly used in cutting, sanding and drilling at industrial sites.The flames spread across the site, setting off building fire alarms and sprinkler systems.
According to the Lowell Sun, the sprinkler system put out most of the fire in the 83,000 square foot building before firefighters arrived on the scene. First responders were able to fully extinguish the flames and then moved on to the task of containing a supply of water that had been contaminated from the incident. The water was apparently exposed to oils that are used in the lathe.
Fortunately, no injuries were sustained, and officials have stated that while an investigation is under way, the cause of the fire does not seem suspicious.
In cases of emergency, industrial sites should be equipped with technology to keep workers safe and to draw firefighters and police to the scene as soon as possible if something were to go wrong. Keeping employees safe should always be a priority, which is why companies use explosion-proof UV flame detectors and other devices to stay prepared. A well-practiced evacuation plan is vital to ensuring the safety of everyone on site.
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