Fire Destroys Sawdust Silo at Paredes Furniture Factory

A sawdust silo at the Hakaba furniture factory in Vandoma, in the Paredes municipality, caught fire yesterday afternoon, forcing a full evacuation of the industrial facility and leaving the storage unit destroyed. Firefighters managed to protect the main production area, and the facility was evacuated as a precautionary measure with no injuries reported.

What Happened

• Factory operations suspended: The fire halted operations at the Hakaba plant.

• Sawdust silo destroyed: More than 1 ton of sawdust was extracted from the unit, which is now inoperational.

• No injuries reported: The facility was evacuated around 2:40 PM on April 15, 2026.

• Cause unknown: Investigators are determining what ignited the fire.

The Incident at Vandoma

The alert came in at 2:40 PM on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, when flames erupted inside a sawdust storage silo at the Hakaba furniture manufacturing plant. A total of 28 firefighters and 11 vehicles from the Paredes, Lordelo, Baltar, and Cête brigades responded, according to the Sub-Regional Command of the Porto Metropolitan Area.

José Freitas, the incident commander, confirmed at 6:05 PM that crews had extracted over 1 ton of sawdust from the silo during suppression efforts. By 7:40 PM, the fire had entered the cooling-down phase, with Freitas estimating that demobilization would begin within the next half hour. "The silo is now inoperational," he stated, "but the fire did not reach the rest of the factory."

The entire plant was evacuated as a safety measure, though no workers were injured. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Background: Sawdust Storage and Fire Risk

Sawdust silos and wood dust storage facilities represent combustible environments in industrial wood processing. Wood dust can ignite at temperatures as low as 250°C in the presence of sparks, and when suspended in air, it can form explosive atmospheres. The combination of organic particulate buildup, confined spaces, and potential ignition sources—mechanical failures, static electricity, or external factors—creates inherent industrial fire risk.

Regulatory Framework for Industrial Safety

Wood processing facilities in Portugal are required to implement fire prevention measures under Decree-Law 220/2008 and technical provisions in Portaria 135/2020. Key requirements include fire-resistant silo construction, effective ventilation systems, ignition source control through maintenance protocols, and emergency planning procedures. The National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection (ANEPC) oversees compliance for higher-risk facilities, while municipal authorities handle lower-risk classifications.

Current Status

The factory remains closed pending further investigation and repairs. Local authorities have not issued any environmental warnings related to smoke or air quality from the incident. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the relevant authorities.

For residents and workers in Vandoma and surrounding areas, the incident underscores the importance of rigorous maintenance and emergency preparedness at industrial facilities.