GREENVILLE, Mich. — Documents obtained by FOX 17 show just how frequently police and fire departments have responded to Dicastal North America's Greenville facility since they began operations in 2014.
On March 17, an employee was severely burned during an explosion and ensuing fire.
But it's far from the first time firefighters have responded to the facility. In recent years, FOX 17 has covered multiple fires at the plan, which manufactures ally tires for use in the auto industry.
The facility was also raided by the FBI in July of 2022. Details of that search remain sealed.
Following the March 17 fire, however, FOX 17 filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Greenville Department of Public Safety for reports detailing all of the calls they have responded to at Dicastal since 2014.
While a number of reports detailed personnel disputes or human resources issues that spilled over, the set of documents also include numerous accounts from when the department responded to fires or potentially hazardous material exposures.
The following information is culled from dozens of public safety reports.
In September 2016, police, fire, and the water department responded to Dicastal after it was reported that 50-100 gallons of a Glycol mixture spilled into a drain.
In June 2017, a minor fire started inside after aluminum dust particles ignited.
In 2018, crews responded to four different fires of varying degrees.
In July 2018, crews found Dicastal's aluminum dust collection system smoldering, requiring the use of special foam extinguishers.
In October 2018, there was a fire inside a thermal oxidizer.
In November 2018, smoke alarms were triggered after grease stuck in a mold began smoking.
In December 2018, a welder contracted by Dicastal unintentionally started a fire inside a furnace.
More fires were recorded the next year.
On Valentine's Day in 2019, aluminum shavings caught fire inside a so-called air scrubbing machine.
In September 2019, there was a small pipe fire.
In October 2019, a fire in the aluminum dust collecting system.
Fast-forward to July 2020, employees inside report hearing a loud "boom", and a fire is found ignited inside their thermal oxidizing unit.
The reports continue in 2021.
In January 2021, a small fire started after liquid aluminum was spilled onto some wiring.
In April 2021, another fire started inside a pipe.
In May 2021, a small fire in some duct work.
Then, in May of 2022, aluminum dust ignited a fire inside a 55-gallon drum.
In February 2023, a sub-contracted welder working inside the building started a fire after igniting some aluminum dust.
READ MORE: Greenville reacts after another fire extinguished at Dicastal factory
