On Saturday morning, just over a week after a large chemical explosion sparked a factory fire in Derrimut, in Melbourne’s west, another fire broke out at the nearby Orica factory in Deer Park. The fire destroyed a building which produces and stores plastic shipping pallets. Five workers, who were on the site, but in other buildings, were safely evacuated.
These types of fires have a very high potential to affect the health of locals, as well as the surrounding environment. Large fires such as these produce large amounts of smoke containing ultrafine particles (known as PM2.5). Those sensitive to particulate matter, such as those with asthma or other respiratory conditions, can be particularly affected. For this reason, authorities recommend that local residents remain indoors and ensure windows are closed until the levels of smoke dissipate.
There may be longer-term effects, however. This includes threats to local waterways due to the run-off of water used to put out the fires, which contains chemicals, ash and debris. The EPA has been testing and monitoring the pollution levels in the area’s waterways. There can also be longer-term effects on health due to exposure to poor quality air.