Chemical Fire at Energetic Materials Facility Requires Dry Extinguishment
Location: Wright Township (Mountain Top), Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Incident Summary
On Tuesday afternoon, November 18, 2025, emergency crews responded to a fire at IGE Performance Chemicals (also known as IGE Performance Chemicals, LLC) located on Crestwood Road in the Crestwood Industrial Park. The fire, which reportedly involved explosions, could not be extinguished with water due to the nature of the chemicals involved. Instead, facility staff extinguished the flames using dry chemical fire extinguishers before firefighters fully deployed. Four individuals were transported to the hospital as a precaution, primarily for issues related to the inhalation of the extinguisher powder rather than chemical exposure. This is the second fire at this facility in recent months; a previous incident occurred on the loading dock in August.
Facility Description
IGE Performance Chemicals is a subsidiary of Island Group Enterprises, a global entity involved in chemicals, aerospace, and defense. The Mountain Top facility specializes in custom chemical synthesis and processing, including milling, blending, and drying. Publicly available product lists for the facility include energetic materials and oxidizers such as ammonium nitrate, potassium perchlorate, antimony trisulfide, and various metal powders (e.g., amorphous boron, calcium silicide). These materials are often used in pyrotechnics, ordnance, and automotive applications (airbags).
Speculation on Potential Causes
Combustible Metal Ignition: The strict prohibition on using water suggests the fire may have involved combustible metal powders like aluminum, magnesium, or boron. Water applied to these fires can result in hydrogen generation and violent explosions.
Friction or Impact Sensitivity: As the facility performs "grinding and milling" of energetic materials, the fire could have been initiated by friction or mechanical impact during processing, a common hazard in the manufacturing of pyrotechnic components.
Oxidizer Contamination: The presence of strong oxidizers like potassium perchlorate means that even minor contamination with organic material (like grease or oil) could lead to spontaneous ignition or rapid deflagration.
Relevant Industry Standard: NFPA 484
NFPA 484: Standard for Combustible Metals Given the facility's inventory of metal powders, NFPA 484 is highly relevant. This standard explicitly restricts the use of water on Class D (combustible metal) fires unless specific engineering evaluations prove it is safe.
Prevention: The standard requires rigorous dust control measures, proper bonding and grounding of equipment to prevent static discharge, and the use of compatible, non-sparking tools during maintenance.
Response: It mandates that facilities have appropriate Class D fire extinguishers (often using sodium chloride or copper powder) readily available and that employees are trained to identify when not to use water, preventing a small fire from escalating into a steam explosion.
Sources
WNEP (ABC 16): "Four hospitalized after chemical fire in Luzerne County" (Nov 18, 2025).
IGE Performance Chemicals: Official company product index and capabilities descriptions.
OSHA: Inspection Detail #1860018.015 (Opened Nov 19, 2025).