On January 4, 1966, at the Feyzin refinery, an operation on a propane tank went wrong. A leak develops and the gas escapes from the installation. The problem is no longer limited to the storage area alone: the hazardous material is spreading around.
The alert is given, but the traffic measurements and the reaction to the event have flaws. The gas is inflamed. The fire heats up the equipment, then a first sphere breaks violently. The debris damages other facilities and aggravates the disaster.
The Health and Safety Executive study found 18 deaths and highlighted insufficient preparedness for this type of accident. The rescue teams do not have adequate instructions on the particular risks of the storage concerned. Design, alarm and organization are all in question.
Leakage, ignition and successive breaks are different steps. The danger had left the tanks before the explosion.
What we know
The precise origin of the ignition is not presented as certain.
To go to the source
References accessed October 11, 2026. Linked pages may be in another language.
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