A chemical plant classified as ‘Seveso high threshold’ experienced an explosion on Monday, December 22, in Saint-Fons, south of Lyon, injuring four people, three of whom are in serious condition. The blast occurred in the early afternoon at the Elkem Silicones plant, which manufactures silicone-based materials. A security perimeter was established around the area, and local residents were confined, with several roads closed. These measures were lifted around 6 PM after the fire at the site was brought under control. The prefecture has stated there is no risk of toxicity.
Emergency Response and Precautionary Measures
Initially, the prefecture urged people to avoid the area and activated the Orsec plan, designed to organize emergency services in case of a serious event. Residents of Saint-Fons and neighboring municipalities, including Feyzin, Pierre-Bénite, and Vénissieux, were confined for several hours. Traffic was also interrupted on the A7 motorway, nearby railway lines, and the Rhône river, before these restrictions were lifted.
Antoine Guérin, the delegate prefect for defense and security of the Rhône, informed BFMTV and other media that these precautions were taken to prevent a potential second explosion. “We implemented a vigilance system” to avoid such a scenario, thus eliminating the risk, he explained.
No Toxicity Risk Confirmed
The prefecture confirmed in a late-day statement that there is “no risk of toxicity for the population,” a claim it had made even while the fire was ongoing. This was based on “analyses carried out by the Dréal and the firefighters.” The statement added that “measurements will continue to be taken over the next 24 hours.”
Details of the Explosion and Injuries
Firefighters told AFP that the explosion occurred in one of the site’s laboratories. Three of the four injured, all employees of Elkem Silicones, are seriously hurt, according to the prefecture. Two sustained “very serious” injuries, and the third was “a little less serious,” the delegate prefect told journalists. He also confirmed that there were no other missing persons at the site.
Jean-Pierre Laurent, the site director, told the press that the explosion, whose exact origin is still unknown, was likely caused by a hydrogen emission “in an experimental workshop” where five people were working.
Firefighting Efforts and Previous Incident
The explosion was followed by a fire in a 600 m2 building, according to firefighters. The incident mobilized approximately one hundred firefighters and 32 vehicles. The Rhône prefect announced shortly before 6 PM that the fire had been brought under control.
This is not the first incident at the Saint-Fons site. In 2016, one person was killed in a fire involving silicone drums in a 2,500 m2 warehouse, which was partially destroyed.
