Damavand Petrochemical, with an annual production capacity of 1.5 million tons of petrochemical products, was able to effectively control the fire that occurred in Phase 2. Mehrdad Afshar, the HSE manager of Damavand Energy Persian Gulf Company, explained that after the fire broke out, four safety, firefighting, rescue, and operational teams quickly arrived at the scene.
Emergency Management
Afshar stated: "Given the size of the fire and the specific conditions of the incident, the level of operations was elevated, and additional forces and necessary equipment were dispatched from neighboring units to the site. This effective support from operational teams allowed for a more robust firefighting operation."
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He also noted that several firefighters spontaneously arrived at the scene and helped increase operational capacity. This collaboration and unity in controlling the fire is commendable.
Challenges in Fire Management
Afshar continued: "One of the main challenges of this incident was its non-process nature. The fire was caused by an impact and attack, and there was a possibility of repeated attacks at any moment. Therefore, scene management and the deployment of forces had to be conducted in a way that minimized the number of personnel at risk."
The head of HSE at Damavand Energy Persian Gulf Company emphasized that in such incidents, the concept of "golden time" differs from that in regular process incidents. In a process incident, the speed of initial response and the use of golden time to prevent the escalation of the incident is crucial, but in this incident, ensuring the safety of personnel and managing their presence at the scene was of greater importance.
After controlling parts of the fire and reducing its intensity, the number of personnel present in the danger zone was gradually reduced to maintain operational capability while preventing the gathering of forces in the incident area.
The Role of Cooperation from Neighboring Units
Afshar highlighted the bravery of the firefighters in this incident, stating: "In addition to the possibility of repeated attacks, another challenge of the operation was the unclear nature of the hazard in the early stages. The potential presence of chemicals or the release of hazardous materials and gases also needed to be considered in assessing the conditions."
He also referred to the role of cooperation from regional units, saying: "Firefighting teams from neighboring companies arrived at the scene in the shortest possible time and provided effective support for the operation by supplying personnel and equipment. This cooperation played a significant role in controlling the fire."
Ultimately, Afshar concluded that the speed of response, coordination among operational teams, support from neighboring units, and management of the number of personnel present at the scene were effective factors in controlling this incident. Fortunately, with the implementation of safety measures, evacuation, and reduction of personnel in the danger zone, and phased management of operations, no problems occurred for the firefighters and operational forces.
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