German Automotive Foundry Fire Quickly Contained

Two workers suffered smoke inhalation when fire erupted Wednesday morning in the basement of a foundry in western Germany.

At about 7:12 a.m., the fire brigade in Mettmann, North Rhine-Westphalia, responded to the report of a fire at the Fondium foundry accompanied by the keywords “Big Business,” the fire brigade Facebook page states. The brigade responded with 46 firefighters and ten emergency service personnel.

The foundry’s industrial fire brigade had launched fire operations almost immediately. Fire officials report that the plastic insulation around electrical cable ignited from the heat of a nearby furnace.

Working together, firefighters quickly contained the flames and set up smoke ejectors, exhaust fans designed to pull smoke from a structure using negative pressure. The Facebook page describes the network of corridors in the basement as “catacomb-like.”

Of the 10 workers in the workshop affected by heavy smoke, two were to a nearby hospital with suspicion of flue gas intoxication.

The wiring insulation again ignited, requiring further extinguishment using thermal imaging and firefighting foam.

At 1 p.m., firefighters returned the fire scene to the foundry owners.

Fondium BV & Co KG, based in Mettmann, is focused on metal casting in support of the automotive industry. The foundry employs 980 workers.