Insulation Smoldering

[Keystone]

Firefighters dose smoldering bags of insulation - mcall.com

Firefighters doused hundreds of smoldering bags of insulation Sunday at an Upper Macungie Township factory.

Crews responded around 11:30 a.m. to insulation manufacturer Fiber America, 7072 Snowdrift Road. The plant was closed Sunday and no one was inside the building when responders arrived, Fiber America President David A. Johnson said.

After talking with firefighters, Johnson believes that one of the bags got hot overnight, causing the plastic to heat up. The heat transferred to other bags, which began smoldering.

"Hence, it looked like a huge fire," Johnson said.

The building was still full of smoke Sunday afternoon, and emergency crews cut a hole in the roof to allow the factory to ventilate.

 

[Frank]

They don't say what kind of insulation but the company's website shows that they are a shredded newspaper insulation maker. I would suspect they bagged it too wet and got spontanious heating like you do when you put up green hay. It likely stayed as smouldering due to the fire retardants added in the manufacturing process

I also know spray in place foams can overheat and catch fire from the heat released in curing if put on in too thick of layers.

 

[ICE]

The building was still full of smoke Sunday afternoon, and emergency crews cut a hole in the roof to allow the factory to ventilate.

Fans wouldn't work?