Brazilian Sugar Facility

Following a fire at a sugar processing facility in rural Brazil, EFI Global was asked to conduct an origin and cause investigation. Within 24 hours of the original request, our investigators obtained the necessary documents from the Brazilian Consulate in the U.S. to conduct the investigation. After our experts arrived in Brazil, they completed the entire investigation, including the examination of two large warehouses, in five days. The fire scene was photographed, measured and diagrammed.

Alterations to the scene prior to our arrival included the destruction of evidence, aggressive overhaul and prior examination by local authorities. Initial reports indicated there were no injuries or fatalities involved with the fire but there were injuries and a death from the explosion that occurred two days prior to the fire.

The surrounding property was not maintained and consistent with an industrial area and the adjacent property was also damaged during the incident. The damage consisted of radiant heat exposure, direct flame impingement, physical damage during fire suppression and physical damage from positive pressure wave of the explosion. There were also important items discovered during a peripheral search of the property, consisting of improperly installed electrical components, shields missing from welding equipment, panel boxes without covers and improperly wired electrical ventilation fans in warehouse one. There were electrical connections/splices using black electrical tape. These electrical connections/splices were not in approved electrical junction boxes.