In the mid-1960s, we produced a baggage compartment floor panel, Gillfab 5040, which was made with aluminum skins and end grain balsa as the core material. As part of the process, we sprayed the aluminum skins and the balsa core with a solvenated adhesive on Line 4. Then we would run the material down the line and drive off the solvent with heat (Infra-red lights). Every so often (actually twice while I worked in Production) one of the IR tubes would break and throw a spark. That would ignite the solvent and the flames would run the entire length of the spray line and end up in the spray booth. There was overspray in the booth and that would ignite.
The first time it happened I rushed over to the line while someone called the fire department. Everyone in the building was fighting the fire. We ran around with the fire extinguishers, shooting them here and there as more solvent escaped from the balsa. When the fire department arrived, they hosed everything down with water and that put out the fire. There was some damage to the facilities and besides the scrap we’d lost a day’s production.
Later, reflecting on what had happened, I thought that our response had been disorganized and nobody had taken charge and as a result, there was more damage than there should have been. I decided that if that ever happened again, I would not fight the fire. Instead, I’d find a place where I could see what was happening and direct a coordinated effort from there.
A while later, maybe a year or two, I was sitting in my office on the shop floor and I heard the “pop” and “whoosh” and I knew we had another fire on our hands. I rushed out of my office and over to Line 4. There was a short stack of fiberglass cloth boxes next to the line and I climbed up on top of them and could see the whole production line and the fire.
By seeing the whole picture, I was able to take control of the situation and coordinate all of our efforts to fight the fire. It was a short fight and we won, easily. We decided to get rid of IR as the heat source and changed to a steam-heated radiator. There hasn’t been another fire on that line in over 40 years.
The key takeaway to me was, “When there’s a problem, don’t panic. Get an overall view of the situation and direct the response”. I have used that philosophy in many situations over the years and it has worked well for me.
The Gill Corporation
4056 Easy Street
El Monte, CA 91731-1087 USA
Phone: 626-443-4022
Fax: 626-350-5880
Email: info@thegillcorp.com
