Fire breaks out at factory of polyurethane foam maker FXI

A four-level fire broke out at the FXI plant in Orange, Florida, on February 9, possibly related to an exothermic reaction during the processing of the foam block
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No one was injured in the fire, according to local news reports
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The fire started after midnight
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Employees said they noticed smoke coming out of some of the foam blocks as they were moving them from the outside warehouse to a conveyor belt for processing
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"Workers removed the smoking block of foam from the conveyor belt and tried to put the fire out, but by then the fire had gotten out of control and spread elsewhere," Orange Fire Department Officer Ryan O'Connor said
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The fire was brought under control with the help of firefighters from the Orange, Anaheim Fire and Rescue Department and the Fullerton Fire Department
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Ryan O'Connor told reporters at the scene: "We adopted a defensive strategy, using large diameter hoses and water towers, to protect all structures around the plant
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When FXI purchased the base in 2014, the facility was said to use patented Variable Pressure Foaming (VPFSM) technology, which it claims is "the most environmentally friendly foam manufacturing process on the market, with virtually zero emissions
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The polyurethane foaming reaction is an exothermic process, and foams made from polyurethane are thermally insulating
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If the foam recipe is not designed correctly, it will generate too much heat and get trapped in the center of the large foam
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This could cause a fire
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