A fire broke out in a screening machine of a recycling plant located in Merindad de Olite forced the mobilization of firefighters on the afternoon of Monday, August 11. The fire was brought under control on the premises itself and did not pose any danger to nearby forest areas, according to official sources.
The Civil Guard of Navarra has communicated that has opened proceedings to clarify the origin of the accident. Given the high economic value of the affected machineryOnce the equipment has cooled down, a Technical Ocular Inspection (ITO) will be carried out by a specialized team from the UOPJ.
What happened and how the intervention developed
The alert was registered during the afternoon and the extinguishing teams quickly arrived at the facility, where they verified that the focus was located in a screening machine used in the material selection process. The efforts focused on containing the fire, protecting the immediate surroundings and prevent any spread inside the plant.
Once the situation was stabilized, the firefighters proceeded to progressively cool the affected equipment and monitor hot spots, with the goal of reducing temperature and minimizing further damage to the treatment line.
Operation and security measures in place
During the performance no damage was detected risk of spread to forest areas upcoming. Even so, the intermittent presence of patrols was requested to ensure controlled combustion of the damaged material and maintain the perimeter security of the area.
These patrols carried out periodic checks in order to avoid unexpected revivals and facilitate the work of the fire-fighting services, which maintained surveillance until the complete stability of the affected area was ensured.
Technical Ocular Inspection to clarify the causes
Once the extinguishing and cooling tasks have been completed, the Civil Guard has arranged for a Technical Ocular Inspection (ITO) by the Organic Unit of the Judicial Police (UOPJ). This inspection will allow analyze in detail the starting point of the fire, the condition of the machine components and other clues that help determine the cause.
The ITO will include the evidence collection and damage assessment on the machinery and the immediate surroundings, as well as a review of operating protocols. The objective is to accurately determine the circumstances involved and whether any technical or operational factors influenced the incident.
Impact on the plant and operating context
The machine involved, of high performance and high cost, is a key component in the waste treatment chain. The technical shutdown and subsequent evaluation can lead to temporary adjustments in operations of the plant until the necessary checks and repairs are completed.
From the point of view of industrial safety, this episode reinforces the importance of maintain rapid response plans and continuous verification of equipment with high levels of mechanical demands. The investigation will determine whether it was a accidental equipment failure, material overheating or other cause, without any concrete hypothesis having been put forward at this time.
The coordination between firefighters and Civil Guard allowed contain the fire and secure the area without affecting the forest environment, while expert work is underway to clarify what happened and assess in detail the extent of the damage to the machinery.
