The prosecutor's office investigated the circumstances of the accident at the State Fire Service Aspirant School in Poznań. During the classes, a machine was used to determine the temperature of liquids. Some students were burned. Investigators discontinued the proceedings.
Nine cadets – that's how many people suffered in an accident during classes on the physical chemistry of combustion and fire extinguishing agents at the State Fire Service Aspirant School in Poznań. The incident took place on May 13. 20 people and two experienced lecturers took part in the classes. Eight people were taken to hospital with burns. The injured were students who were closest to the device containing hot liquid.
The circumstances of the incident were investigated by the Poznań prosecutor's office. We know what was agreed.
The expert examined the Marcusson Apparatus
According to tvn24.pl, an appointed firefighting expert stated that the probable cause of the incident was damage to an element of the Marcusson apparatus, i.e. a device for determining the ignition temperature of liquids. – It is powered by electricity. Approximately 50 ml of oil is added to the appropriate crucible. Then it is heated in a controlled manner and its temperature is determined. This is how we train our adepts – this is how the operation of the machine was described by Brig. Rafał Wypych, press spokesman for the PSP Aspirant School in Poznań.
As Łukasz Wawrzyniak, spokesman for the District Prosecutor's Office in Poznań, explains, according to the expert, the crucible broke and the heated oil flowed out of the apparatus. The oil then damaged the insulation of the device's power cable. This created a spark that ignited the hot oil.
It is also known that “due to the age of the device, it is not possible to indicate its manufacturer, type, or storage conditions of the equipment.” The expert's findings show that there was no obligation to keep records of this type of devices. “It is not possible to examine whether the method of use was correct, whether any negligence occurred and who was responsible for it,” the opinion stated.
What's next with the proceedings?
After assessing all the collected material, the prosecutor conducting the proceedings assessed that there was no threat to the life or health of many people or large-scale destruction of property. – Due to the lack of elements of a prohibited act, the proceedings were discontinued on September 16 – said the spokesman for the prosecutor's office.
During classes on the physical chemistry of combustion and fire extinguishing agentsHubert Remlein
Main photo source: Hubert Remlein