Latest Breaking News

(10,135 posts)

16. It could be a sugar or cocoa dust explosion

Sat Mar 25, 2023, 12:39 PM

Mar 2023

Those dusts are very flammable and if proper safety procedures or ventilation are not functioning, it can lead to explosions.

There was a 2015 KY sugar dust fire "Northern Kentucky firefighters battled a large fire at the Perfetti Van Melle USA factory in Erlanger on Friday morning." https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/kenton-county/erlanger/fire-breaks-out-at-perfetti-van-melle-factory-in-erlanger

There are cocoa dust fires too. https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/kenton-county/erlanger/fire-breaks-out-at-perfetti-van-melle-factory-in-erlanger

That was an Illinois 2018 chocolate cake mix fire started by a spark from a fan.

You don't think about how foods can be flammable but I suspect most any dust allowed to accumulate to excess levels could be flammable, except for maybe Asbestosis.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

32 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

2 dead, at least 9 unaccounted for after explosion rocks Pennsylvania chocolate factory [View all] Wicked Blue Mar 2023 OP

Terrible, chocolate is supposed to be fun, not deadly. dem4decades Mar 2023 #1

Yes, this loss of life would be tragic under any circumstance Tanuki Mar 2023 #8

Gas leak suspected at RM Palmer, maker of holiday specialty candy. TreasonousBastard Mar 2023 #2

When the building is flat out gone, that's usually the cause. maxsolomon Mar 2023 #28

Or Sugar Dust ProfessorGAC Mar 2023 #29

nuts if that was the cause. maxsolomon Mar 2023 #31

It Definitely Was ProfessorGAC Mar 2023 #32

I maybe wrong but the only Chocolate factory in PA i know of is YoshidaYui Mar 2023 #3

Apparently there are a number of others cstanleytech Mar 2023 #4

It says "R.M. Palmer Company" C Moon Mar 2023 #6

Geez...9 unaccounted for? Captain Zero Mar 2023 #7

GOOD, YoshidaYui Mar 2023 #18

humidity is a killer, too. mopinko Mar 2023 #13

big natch of pop rocks crushed accidently? lapfog_1 Mar 2023 #10

Hershey's Chocolates outsources much of its products Better Days Ahoy Mar 2023 #11

Palmer definitely markets under its own brand here in Maryland. halfulglas Mar 2023 #14

We went to the Hershey factory when I was a kid. LisaM Mar 2023 #19

Aww, shucks. Better Days Ahoy Mar 2023 #22

Wow. DownriverDem Mar 2023 #12

5 dead at this point. The Jungle 1 Mar 2023 #15

It could be a sugar or cocoa dust explosion Farmer-Rick Mar 2023 #16

See My Post #29 ProfessorGAC Mar 2023 #30

Gas appliances scare me. LisaM Mar 2023 #20

I grew up with gas and will never have it again. colorado_ufo Mar 2023 #21

The guys at the Peeps factory were looking awful satisfied. tclambert Mar 2023 #23

Sheesh, what an thoughtless post. mahatmakanejeeves Mar 2023 #24

Oh hell, so many dead, so many injured Wicked Blue Mar 2023 #27