Fire at Isab Nord, Fiom accuses: 'Little maintenance, stressed plants'

«It’s like a machine that runs a lot, but doesn’t get maintenance. And these are the results». Everyone agrees that what happened Friday morning at the SG13 plant of Isab Nord was not a serious incident, but just a small fire that was extinguished almost immediately, yet according to the general secretary of Fiom Cgil Antonio Recano, there is an aspect that needs to be emphasized. That is, the episode should be traced back to a general issue of maintenance defects.

Meanwhile, what happened? Some details come from the company itself and add to what was released Friday by the mayor of Priolo Pippo Gianni. The fire developed in the basin of a pump room: a leak of hydrocarbons among the liquids collected in this basin caused the ignition. It is a recirculation system that in industrial plants discharges any leaks, drainages, or accidental spills into the oil sewer, and from there to the oil recovery and wastewater treatment plant. The fact that there were some leaks is something expected. Essentially, they are made for rainwater, being sealed and paved: in this case, there were these leaks. It should be noted that the basin has an autonomous protection system, with heat-sensitive cables: when they register heat, they activate a protection system that includes immediate actions, essentially foam dispensers that serve to smother the fire that developed. Simultaneously with the ignition, this system was activated, and in addition, the internal firefighters arrived, and within a few minutes the fire was extinguished. Minimal event, lasting a few minutes. The company has activated an investigation committee to trace the causes and prevent it from happening again.

«Fortunately, nothing happened that involved the workers – commented Fiom Secretary Recano – but the episode highlights the lack of maintenance. Which is a danger to safety. At Isab Nord, the plants that are operating – he continues – are doing so intensively, but very little maintenance is being done. The general shutdown has been postponed to early 2027. In the meantime, the plants that are running are working a lot». Geopolitical contingencies are favorable for production: «They are producing a lot (and making profits) – Recano concludes – but no shutdown and maintenance».