Incident: 300,000L Hand Sanitiser Fire Triggers Response from NSW RFS, FRNSW, and CFA to Moama

Emergency services from New South Wales and Victoria responded to a major fire at a hand sanitiser storage facility in Moama, New South Wales, on November 5, 2023.

Upon arrival, firefighters were confronted with a significant incident that involved a substantial quantity of hand sanitiser and bulk ethanol alight, with a fire that was rapidly expanding in size and intensity, threatening nearby properties and exposures.

Crews from Moama Rural Fire Brigade and FRNSW Moama immediately began asset protection measures to safeguard a large stockpile of the product on the western side of the main fire. Due to the radiant heat and embers produced from the intense fire, a number of grass and scrub fires ignited in the surrounding area, requiring additional resources to contain.

Firefighting Challenges

Initial access to the site’s main access gate was hampered by the wind carrying the fire in the direction of the gate, preventing access to the processing area and administration building. Crews were able to access the site through a secondary access gate and a side gate to a large shed, allowing them to reach the remainder of the property.

The presence of scrap metal yards and a water treatment plant in close proximity to the fire raised concerns about potential exposures. However, the scrap metal dealer was able to move vehicles to provide firefighters with better access to the property, and the wastewater plant was not considered an exposure due to the presence of storage dams acting as a natural fire break.

Firefighting Objectives and Strategies

The initial firefighting objectives were to protect key exposures, including a prime mover, two trailers, the main production area, and other structures on-site. Decisions were made to prioritize protection based on access availability. Asset protection was carried out by Moama FRNSW for structures and Moama RFS for the truck and trailers.

Subsequent units that arrived tackled the grass fires to limit their spread and managed to keep most of the fire contained to the site. Due to limited foam supplies, foam use was restricted to protecting the trailers.

As conditions changed and better access was gained to the site, firefighting objectives were slightly modified. Crews discovered a large quantity of ICBs (intermediate bulk containers) filled with ethanol in various locations, many of which were exposed to the radiant heat of the main fire. Crews used forklifts to relocate the most at-risk piles to a safer location and utilised foam to protect the ICBs until they could be relocated further away from the fire.

Unidentified Substances and Potential Hazards

The site was previously used as a biodiesel plant, and concerns arose regarding old or unlabeled tanks containing unknown substances. Crews attempted to identify the contents of the tanks, but some remained unidentified. In addition, a number of bunting dams contained waste from the biodiesel refinery, and there were tanks that potentially contained forms of acid.

After consulting with a company representative, it was determined that one trailer contained caustic, not ethanol. The prime mover and attached trailer were able to be driven off-site with only minor heat damage, while the remaining trailer suffered extensive damage and was pulled away from the burning pile using an excavator.

Stations in attendance

NSW Police, Ambulance Victoria, NSW EPA, Murray River Council (bulk water and traffic management)

Photos from FRNSW Zone & Flanno’s Photography (Moama)