Society's Child

Huge fire engulfs Diehl metals and defense factory in Germany

Voice of Europe
Fri, 03 May 2024 13:39 UTC

Today, a fire broke out at the Diehl Metal Applications plant in the Lichterfelde district on the southwest outskirts of Berlin. The facility conducts metal refining and galvanization, Bild reports.

The fire engulfed all four floors of the building, with parts already collapsed. 130 firefighters are working at the scene, wearing protective suits.

Firefighters reported that sulfuric acid and copper cyanide were stored at the plant, and a chemical fire occurred. There is a risk of forming hydrogen cyanide, which rises into the air along with the smoke. The wind is spreading the toxic cloud to the north. Firefighters recommended that residents avoid the area around the plant, close windows and doors, and turn off air conditioners. Students from nearby schools have been sent home. Nearby stores are closed.

Comment: Footage:

This appears to be yet another rather suspect fire to add to the ever growing list, however what's notable about this one is that it's connected to the West's defence industry, which was also the case for two other recent incidents: 17th April: Explosion rocks UK's only munitions filling factory, day after US shell plant bursts into flames

See also:

Reader Comments

codis · 2024-05-03T14:28:21Z

The Russians did it, the Russians did it !!! :jawdrop:

Or maybe it was inept affirmative-action-diversity hires ...

Buffalo_Ken · 2024-05-03T16:52:18Z

codis - I'm guessing more likely piano dick-playing lovers are responsible.

The guess is informed that I think they are living in postmodernist dream land....

Seems they don't realize just how much the anger is building.....

could be fatal....for them.

ReRan · 2024-05-03T17:22:23Z

codis Either one - take your pick!

Buffalo_Ken · 2024-05-03T17:53:27Z

codis - I've noticed if you have too many "jawdrops" in a row - sometimes the middle one doesn't take - but I think you meant to have 3 in a row.

As for inept affirmative-action-diversity hires - I believe some suggested prior that that would not be good for business.

In 2024 - later in the year - I plan on having some "mean-ass" pepper fruit for sale - and codis - if you don't mind, and offline we share some info - I will send you one on my nickel - so just let me know.

Respectfully for somebody I know knows about as much as I do and maybe more regarding the manufacturing process. I think I've been to just about all sorts of factories - big facilities and small - it gives me pleasure to have somebody with your level of knowledge to chat with from afar - so that is why I am willing to send the fruit "on my nickel" - plus, lets be honest - I am a bit curious what the cost might be!

Warm Regards,

Ken

codis · 2024-05-03T18:14:21Z

Buffalo_Ken

I've noticed if you have too many "jawdrops" in a row - sometimes the middle one doesn't take - but I think you meant to have 3 in a row.

Well, either I was just joking, or the SOTT comment editor just failed again. I fear it was the latter ...

In 2024 - later in the year - I plan on having some "mean-ass" pepper fruit for sale - and ~~codis~~ - if you don't mind, and offline we share some info - I will send you one on my nickel - so just let me know.

I'm flattered - honestly. With pleasure !

Buffalo_Ken · 2024-05-03T18:20:10Z

codis - well tis easy to get a hold of me - have you heard this video that Joan linked? I'm listening now and it is most telling:

[Link]
I remember one time at the cellulose acetate plant when some equipment shutdown - we had a fair and open root cause analysis and the problem was solved.

That same plant used to emit acetic acid (and acetic anhydride to be accurate) in large amounts such that the citizens in Pearisburg, VA at some point probably in the 1980's or so expressed to the facility - that we have had enough of these odors in our community - and guess what codis - the plant put steps in place to minimize the possibility of this occurring and after that the operators there were very well trained to take it most seriously if any "scrubber" was not working properly - and that is something I have respect for - but quality control matters to me and I think cellulose acetate - given how natural the raw materials of it are - is a fine candidate for a plastic that could be recycled - and I have ideas on how to do this, but nowadays - the verbiage tis "post-modernist" and there seems to be a few who think they are running the show - and let me tell them direct:

Hard Lessons on the Way - "we" know

codis · 2024-05-04T14:39:56Z

Buffalo_Ken As a side note, I had dealt with acetic anhydride at times. It reacts with water to acetic acid, in an exothermic fashion. And in the reaction tried I had used it for that very purpose - removal of nascent water.

The smell is horrible, though. Typical for acetic acid ...

Anyway, chemical manufacturers use to take safety precautions if runaway reactions can occur. Usually, dumping the whole reaction vessel content into a large volume of a safe liquid, often a large water tank. A mess to remove, but still far cheaper than a fire or an explosion ...

ginkhoba · 2024-05-04T15:21:14Z

codis the place is about 2km from my home away. not to serious, besides the gases.

what is an interesting detail, though, is what the company produced, and that takes away that inept hire: The best German weapons-guiding system, as far as I know. with that level of sec you can only hire people who qualify.

codis · 2024-05-04T16:11:54Z

ginkhoba That is what a sane and rational person would think. And this is our problem, I suppose.

You have heard about the diversity-hired pilots for commercial aircraft, didn't you ?!?

The best German weapons-guiding system, as far as I know.

I would guess this involves only electronics, perhaps some "mechatronics" (sensor/actuator contraptions). Nothing really dangerous, unless it's not integrated in the final weapon, with it's warhead. The latter involves explosives, which is one or two safety (and security) levels up, I guess ...

ginkhoba · 2024-05-05T10:39:28Z

codis 'I would guess this involves only electronics' >you need for perfect ops a casing that does not flex so your sensors have close to zero data variation. for that metal casings, but that's speculation on my part.

from what I heard they were working metal at that location. the fire seems to have been a chemically started event, they had chems in there to work metal (surfaces into alloy, I guess). that's what went off, some acid got uncontrolled.

codis · 2024-05-06T05:17:28Z

ginkhoba

from what I heard they were working metal at that location. the fire seems to have been a chemically started event, they had chems in there to work metal (surfaces into alloy, I guess). that's what went off, some acid got uncontrolled.

Yes, that sounds plausible, process-wise. Some strong acids are occasionally used in metal surface treatment. Although this is neither a "secret" nor in any way defense-specific.

For a fun effect, just drop some aluminium shavings into an Iron(III)chloride solution ...

The latter (Iron(III)chloride solution) is commonly used for metal etching and circuit board production.

Buffalo_Ken · 2024-05-06T14:24:29Z

codis - you know they got ways to make these electronic boards now small-scale?

I've been to a place where this is done - it ought be "money-maker" - for example, lets say you have an old dishwasher where with an electronic "board" installed that is no longer made?

Well - small-scale it can be made - I've been there where they do this sort of thing - and it is done with equipment minimizing the use of any harmful chemicals.

It was a pretty impressive small-scale operation spear-headed by a fella used to work in a bigger factory when they made them large-scale in the us of a - but naturally , that big factory tis shutdown many years now and the employees had to find other jobs..... rinse and repeat that crap all through the us of a, but small-scale setups are possible and in many ways they make more sense.

The specific facility in mind did get "pre-fabricated" boards delivered before they applied that additional componentry, and at this small scale place - no acids were used beyond insignificant volumes.

Regards,

Ken

codis · 2024-05-06T15:56:07Z

Buffalo_Ken

It was a pretty impressive small-scale operation spear-headed by a fella used to work in a bigger factory when they made them large-scale in the us of a - but naturally , that big factory tis shutdown many years now and the employees had to find other jobs..... rinse and repeat that crap all through the us of a, but small-scale setups are possible and in many ways they make more sense.

I know that business, had been involved in it for a few years professionally.

Now most of it moved to China ...

Buffalo_Ken · 2024-05-06T17:23:09Z

codis - I think the production line was manufactured in.......oh man - can't remember. I got images of it, but that would not be proper. The owners of the establishment I seem to recall had connection to India. The production line itself is in North Carolina - cause there used to be big IBM presence around where I live - I mean they were the ones moved down here from Rochester area after my Dad's company (National Gypsum - Gold Bond) moved to Charlotte first!

I thought it was "Don't Panic! Lighten Up!" news section for a moment

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Huge fire engulfs Diehl metals and defense factory in Germany

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