Dust Flash Fire in a hostel - Who said that they don't see a dust explosion at home?

Happy New Year 2019 to all of you!

The Dust Flash Fire incident in Baptist University of Hong Kong has left all of us in shock with immense sadness and a heavy heart. Birthday party went wrong and ended in burning and injuring 12 students.

Five students were having a collective birthday party and were singing around the birthday cake. Someone in the group started throwing flour around, which probably got ignited by the burning candle and the flames reached the ceiling height leaving students with first and second degree burns on arms, legs and face.


You can read further on incident on https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2174431/explosion-hong-kongs-baptist-university-leaves-12-students & http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=202541.

Sometime ago, there was another incident in a water park in Taiwan, where more than 500 people were injured due to colour party powder flash fire. The colour powder was sprayed into the air during a dance party at the Formosa Fun Coast water park when it ignited "due to the heat of the lights on stage, as per a spokesperson from local fire department".

There is a much recent incident of a bakery explosion in Kolkata, West Bengal (India); which has been reported as LPG explosion by some, but it seems to be a Dust Explosion based on this news bulletin https://english.kolkata24x7.com/explosion-critically-injures-workers-in-garia-cake-factory.html/

It's a common expression from the industries we visit that "these materials are also used in household but we haven't seen an explosion there". These statements are being said majorly because of good fortune till the time some incident takes place. Explosions in a bakery, Flash Fire in parties and devastating dust explosion in industries should put some limelight on the fact that, we as individuals are not completely aware of the risks of dust explosion and should assess our facility based on the same. 

Knowing the material flammable properties such as Group A/B Classification, Minimum Ignition Energy, Minimum and Layer Ignition Temperatures, Burning Number (VDI 2263), Explosion Severity characteristics is the first step in identifying the risk.

After identification of properties, one should look for a hazard assessment for each of their unit operations such that the risk is established and appropriate basis of safety (i.e. Explosion Prevention by avoidance of fuel/ ignition source/ oxygen or Explosion Protection with isolation by containment/ venting/ suppression) is opted for.

"Neither lack of awareness nor lack of major incident is equivalent to no risk."

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