Australian Company Charged in 2019 Warehouse Fire

An Australian company alleged to have amassed large quantities of toxic material in a Campbellfield warehouse that burned in April 2019 has been charged with violations of the country’s Dangerous Goods Act.

Bradbury Industrial Services, which is now in liquidation, is facing seven offences under sections 31 (1) and section 45 of the act.

WorkSafe, a government agency responsible for health and safety in the workplace, alleges that Bradbury failed to take all reasonable precautions to prevent fire or explosion of dangerous goods at the 9-11 Brooklyn Court site.

The company failed to reduce, so far as was reasonable, the risk of dangerous goods leaking from bulk containers that were bulging under pressure, had loose top screw caps or were partially collapsed.

It’s also alleged the company failed to notify WorkSafe of the presence of an excess quantity of dangerous goods at the site.

Having exceeded the regulated fire protection quantity of dangerous goods, the company failed to request the advice of the relevant emergency services authority in relation to the design of a fire protection system for the premises and failed to have a written emergency plan.

The company breached regulations relating to placarding and keeping a prescribed manifest, WorkSafe charges.

The stockpile was uncovered during Environment Protection Authority and WorkSafe investigations into the storage of chemicals in Melbourne's northern suburbs in January 2019.