Report into the West Footscray Industrial Fire (August 2018)

All hazards

Risks spanning across multiple hazard types and across the emergency management system.

Biosecurity

Exotic animal and plant disease outbreaks and pest incursions can have significant economic, community and environmental impacts.

Bushfire and other fires

Bushfire and other fires have potential consequences including loss of life and property, and damage to infrastructure and environment.

Climate change

Risks include more days of extreme heat, harsher fire weather, less rainfall and rising sea levels.

Communications disruption

Communications services are crucial in keeping communities safe, connected and informed before, during and after emergencies.

Cyber security and ICT systems failure

Risks relating to the confidentiality, availability, integrity of information and data and disruption of services.

Energy supply disruption

Reliable energy supplies are critical to many social and economic activities.

Flood

Major flood events have occurred in Victoria every 10 to 20 years, with much of the increasing risk created by human settlement.

Hazardous material incident

Potential risks relate to many places where Victoria’s hazardous materials are manufactured, stored, transported, used and disposed.

Heatwave

Heatwaves are considered to be the ‘silent killer’ of extreme weather events and are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in Australia.

Public health emergency

Risks may relate to the delivery of public health services, with impacts on community health and wellbeing and potential for loss of life.

Supply chain disruption

Geopolitical, environmental, economic, societal and infrastructure-related shocks can expose supply chains to wide ranging consequences.

Terrorism and extremism

Attacks carried out by individuals or non-state groups with ideological, political or religious goals can result in loss of life, severe injury and/or material damage.

Water supply disruption

Risks include collection, storage, treatment, delivery, availability and allocation of water for consumption and environmental, recreation and cultural uses.

Workforce and resourcing

Risks may relate to human resource supply and skills to support emergency management operations.

On 30 October 2018 the Victorian Government requested the Inspector-General for Emergency Management provide advice regarding the 30 August 2018 West Footscray industrial fire.

The specific objectives of IGEM’s review included an evaluation of the effectiveness of:

high-risk site identification, preparedness and planning
response and support agency roles and responsibilities
community information and warnings, including the use of Emergency Alert.

IGEM conducted this assurance activity from 29 January to 1 May 2019, and made seven observations, nine findings, four recommendations towards improvement of the emergency management arrangements.

The passage of time since the occurrence of the West Footscray industrial fire and the delivery of this report saw a number of improvements to the way in which the sector responded to similar events. These are identified in this report.

Government response

On 14 August 2020, government released and responded to IGEM’s report, supporting in-full the four recommendations.

Read the government response from emv.vic.gov.au (External link)

About the fire

On 30 August 2018, the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board (MFB*) responded to reports of a warehouse fire at 420 Somerville Road in Melbourne’s industrial suburb of Tottenham.

As first responders, MFB quickly recognised the large number of resources required to attack the fire and led what became the most significant structural fire response since the 1991 Coode Island fire.

The fire - commonly referred to as the West Footscray industrial fire - produced a plume of black smoke and strong chemical odour that moved in a southerly direction above suburbs in the Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay and Wyndham City local government areas.

While the fire was contained on the day of ignition, response and support organisations remained on site until 14 September 2018 to control hot spots and commence the clean-up operations at the site and adjacent public spaces contaminated by firefighting water run-off.

Overall IGEM found the agencies that comprise the emergency management sector activated, and contributed to the overall response in meaningful ways.

*As of 1 July 2020, MFB has been replaced with a new agency, Fire Rescue Victoria (External link)

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