Case Studies – Fire related


Here you find an overview about our fire related case studies.

Please choose one of the following case studies to get more info.

Computer Server I

Semiconductor Equipment I

Semiconductor Equipment II

Semiconductor Equipment III

Electrical Switchgear

Electrical Control Systems I

LCD Manufacturing Equipment

Data Processing Centre

Electrical Control Systems II

Computer Server II

Electrical Control Systems III

Marine Machinery

Precision Machines

Structures


Computer Server I
Client / Location:
Indonesia
Facilities / Equipment type

IBM AS400 Computer complete with expansion modules, Sequent Computer, Bauman UPS, IBM 704 Computer Servers, PKS Comstream Modems, Various satellite communications modules, Philips PABX, etc

Incident description

A fire occurred within a UPS system installed in the data processing centre. The site was critical as data processing operations were carried out there for all Coca Cola plants throughout Indonesia.

Description of services provided

Decontamination and reinstatement of affected items of equipment.

Benefits

Recovery was carried out in a manner that did not interrupt normal business operations. IBM reinstated maintenance contracts following completion of recovery work.

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Semiconductor Equipment I
Client / Location:
Thailand
Facilities / Equipment type

Integrated circuit Die Bonders, Integrated circuit Gold Wire Bonders and Wafer dicing saws

Incident description

Fire in integrated circuit assembly and test facility

Description of services provided

Decontamination and recovery of almost 100 items of equipment. Two teams of technicians progressively decontaminated and recovered approximately 100 items of equipment - predominantly ASM Die Bonders, and ASM & Kaijo Denke Gold Wire Bonders. The facility operator’s initial objective was for BELFOR to complete recovery of these systems within three months of the commencement date. In actuality, BELFOR completed recovery work within two months, to the complete satisfaction of the client.

Benefits

BELFOR and the client built a close trusting relationship early on. This certainly contributed towards the success of this project. BELFOR demonstrated capability to rapidly respond and to subsequently rapidly recover a large quantity of high precision equipment. The entire project was completed for less than twenty percent of the new replacement price of the equipment, and within a far shorter time period than would have been required to procure new systems. Business interruption costs were, therefore, considerably reduced.

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Semiconductor Equipment II
Client / Location:
Singapore
Facilities / Equipment type

Water fabrication machinery

Incident description

Fire in cleanroom

Description of services provided

Decontamination and reinstatement of all of the equipment.

Benefits

The cost of replacing contaminated equipment (in excess of USD $50m) and business interruption costs (estimated at approx. USD $3.6m) were not incurred as BELFOR was able to complete the recovery work prior to wafer buffer stocks being exhausted. Production resumed in the cleanroom less than 3 weeks after the fire occurence. Equipment surfaces cleanliness levels were returned to at least the same levels as prior to the fire. No decrease in wafer yield occurred. Further, a year after the fire, the client observed no reduction in equipment reliability or performance, following recovery by BELFOR.

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Semiconductor Equipment III
Client / Location:

Taiwan

Facilities / Equipment type

Facilities and wafer manufacturing equipment

Incident description

Smoke/soot contamination in cleanroom

Description of services provided

Decontamination and reinstatement of wafer inspection equipment and other items of equipment. Decontamination of the cleanroom structure. Decontamination of the air handling units; associated electrical cubicles and the air plenum structure.

Benefits

All recovery works were carried out under extreme time pressure, because the client wanted to restart the wafer processing, inspection and packaging area, as soon as possible. BELFOR was able to achieve this by completing the work in 3 weeks. Thus, business interruption costs were greatly reduced.

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Electrical Switchgear
Client / Location:
Malaysia
Facilities / Equipment type:
6.6kV eletrical switchgear, low voltage motor starter panels, variable speed drive cubicles, distributed control system cubicles, air-conditioning, lighting, UPS, communications, fire detection systems, etc.
Incident description

The eighth and newest production train was scheduled to go online and commence production on 21st October 2003, however on 30th September 2003, a fire occurred in the electrical substation that provides electricity to the entire train. The severely damaged three electrical cubicles and significantly contaminated approximately 80 other cubicles. In addition, the entire substation internal structure was significantly contaminated, as was the air-conditioning system, and other support facilities.

Description of services provided

Decontamination of all affected equipment. BELFOR personnel also supervised teams of client and vendor personnel who assisted with the decontamination, and carried out cleaning of the facilities and building structure.

Benefits

The work was completed in time for the train to commence production on schedule, in October 2003, resulting in very high potential business interruption costs being avoided.

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Electrical Control Systems I
Client / Location:
Thailand
Facilities / Equipment type

Generator protection panel, MCC, switchgear and electronic control systems

Incident description

The plant, which consists of 2 x Combustion Turbines (CT1 and CT2) and one steam turbine, was virtually complete and commissioning was well advanced when the incident occurred. A fire occurred in the electrical switchgear associated with CT1, destroying a number of electrical control cubicles, and affecting other equipment within the IPP 700MW power plant. The client was reportedly behind schedule and was due to have handed over operation of the plant some months earlier.

Description of services provided

BELFOR dismantled, precision cleaned and reassembled items of switchgear and electronic components.

Benefits

All equipment was recovered within 7 days in advance of the given deadline of 14 days. The client did not suffer additional penalty payments as a result of the loss.

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LCD Manufacturing Equipment
Client / Location:
Taiwan
Facilities / Equipment type

Electronic modules, fans and drying oven

Incident description

The manufacturer of polarised film for liquid crystal display products experienced a serious fire within their manufacturing facility. The fire affected a coating line used in the manufacture of polarised film.Initially, the client scheduled 28 days to complete the recovery of the electrical cubicles, fans and drying oven. However, soon after work commenced, the client reduced the time frame to 13 days, due to a change in their reinstatement programme.

Description of services provided

Decontamination of 13 electronic and pneumatic cubicles (control system for the coating line used in the manufacture of polarised film), five fans which supplied large volumes of clean air to a large drying oven, and the drying oven itself.

Benefits

The recovery work was completed within a timeframe, which was approximately 2 months shorter than the time required to procure new replacement electrical cubicles.

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Data Processing Centre
Client / Location:
Australia
Facilities / Equipment type

Structural surfaces, including underfloor plenum voids and cables, computers and servers

Incident description

A “VESDA” fire alarm system activated in the data centre. The staff activated the Inergen fire suppressant as a precautionary measure. The Inergen gas system piping unknowingly contained iron oxide contaminated water, which released in aerosol form together with the Inergen gas.

Description of services provided

Decontamination of all structural surfaces within the facility and 150 large cabinet-sized items and numerous smaller items of computer and data communications equipment. About 2 years of ongoing consultancy, analysis and research of the contamination levels, and the factors surrounding the release of the contamination, for legal purposes.

Benefits

The manufacturer reinstated full service agreements on the equipment decontaminated by BELFOR.Recovery work was completed over an extended period of time, necessitated by the fact that equipment remained operational. As the affected hardware formed the client’s billing system, it was critical that downtime to carry out decontamination was absolutely minimised.

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Electrical Control Systems II
Client / Location:
Japan
Facilities / Equipment type

Switchboards, stabiliser panel, trim/heel control panel, AVR panels, PMS PNL cabinet, pre-magnetised transformers cubicles, UPS, air-condition system, distribution transformers, neutral protection resistor cubicles, auxiliary diesel generator, main diesel generator, lower casing for ADG

Incident description

A fire took place within the engine room of the ship, which was scheduled to commence a vehicle transportation service between ports in Northern Japan.

Description of services provided

Decontamination of all affected items.

Benefits

The client was able to launch the ship as per schedule.

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Computer Server II
Client / Location:
Singapore
Facilities / Equipment type

IBM AS/400 server

Incident description

A fire occurred in a computer room. The fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system. The server was severely affected by both fire contaminants and fire extinguishing water. The client required the server to be up and running again within 2 days.

Description of services provided

Decontamination of the server.

Benefits

Recovery of the server was completed within 2 days (over a weekend). The client did not suffer any business interruption.

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Electrical Control Systems III
Client / Location:
Thailand
Facilities / Equipment type

Extruder control cubicles, Calendar control panels and consoles, Mixer control cubicle

Incident description

A fire incident occurred on the third floor of a Rigid PVC sheet manufacturing facility. The fire spread to the second and fourth floors and caused considerable damage. The fire was so intense that it could not be fully extinguished until the following day.

Description of services provided

Decontamination and recovery of 20 main control cubicles and 24 remote control cubicles.

Benefits

Within four (4) weeks of BELFOR’s engagement, all equipment items were in full operation and the client had the first fit for use quality product.

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Marine Machinery
Client / Location:
Singapore
Facilities / Equipment type

Pipes, walls, ceiling and deck areas, propulsion units, induction motors, distribution panels, purification room equipment, water treatment equipment, diesel engines, machine tools, air compressor units, air tanks and electrical distribution boards

Incident description

A fire occurred within the engine room of the bulk carrier ship following a collision with a container ship. Due to the intense radiated heat, tugboats equipped with fire fighting equipment sprayed seawater onto and into the engine room via the port side hole, in order to save the tanker. Thus, the engine room was heavily contaminated with soot and water.

Description of services provided

Decontamination of internal structure of engine room and all affected equipment.

Benefits

The client was able to salvage the new tanker thus avoiding a total loss.

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Precision Machines
Client / Location:
Taiwan
Facilities / Equipment type

Drilling & Routing machines, Coaters, Scanning Electron Microscopes, Computer Servers and Laser Testers

Incident description

Fire in PCB manufacturing facility

Description of services provided

Decontamination and reinstatement of affected items of equipment. Inspection of other items of equipment and provision of advice on recoverability on an ad-hoc basis.

Benefits

Drilling & Routing machines within building No. 2 were recovered within 3 weeks. Many of these machines had previously been declared not repairable by the original equipment manufacturer. The client was able to reintroduce specific machines back into production within the shortest possible time frame. Other machines were dispatched to the client’s new China facility, in order to improve capacity whilst Building No. 1 was being rebuilt.

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Structures
Client / Location:
Japan
Facilities / Equipment type

Structural surfaces, elevator shafts, air-conditioning units, potable water tanks and ancillary equipment

Incident description

A fire, which took approximately 36 hours to extinguish, occurred on a large passenger ship nearing completion. Several thousand tonnes of fresh water and seawater were used to extinguish the fire. Soot and ionic contamination spread throughout non-thermally damaged areas of the ship. The seawater utilised to extinguish the fire had drained through many decks, causing seawater contamination to equipment and facilities that had not been otherwise contaminated by the fire.

Description of services provided

Areas of the ship which were not thermally damaged, but were contaminated by soot and water, were decontaminated.

Benefits

A significant area of the ship was decontaminated instead of being replaced, which reduced time and costs of recovery.

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