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Missile manufacturing company warned of potential for explosion ahead of fire that injured 5: Report

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Published  December 19, 2024 8:18pm EST
FOX 35 Investigates
FOX 35 Orlando

5 injured after fire caused by lithium powder

A fire with toxic fumes injured five people at an Aerojet Rocketdyne facility in Orlando. Two of those people were rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) as trauma alert burn patients; one was a hazmat inhalation patient.

The Brief

    • A fire at the Aerojet Rocketdyne facility in Orlando injured five people, including two burn patients and one with hazardous material inhalation. 
    • The blaze, caused by ignited lithium powder, prompted evacuations and the isolation of a nearby neighborhood due to toxic fumes. 
    • Officials are investigating the incident at the facility, which manufactures propulsion technology for the Department of Defense and NASA.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A fire with toxic fumes injured five people at an Aerojet Rocketdyne facility in Orlando. 

Two of those people were rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) as trauma alert burn patients; one was a hazmat inhalation patient.

The Orlando Fire Department also had to work on evacuations, and isolate a nearby neighborhood to keep them safe from toxic smoke. Wesley Walker, who works right across the street from the facility that caught fire, was shocked by what he saw when he arrived. 

"Fire trucks and news stations are everywhere. I don’t’ know what’s going on, but it’s kind of crazy."

Orlando Fire says lithium powder – not a battery, but a material the company uses in manufacturing – is what started the blaze.

"It requires a very specific and disciplined procedure to extinguish the fire and get control," said Assistant Orlando Fire Chief Walter Lewis.

L3Harris took over Aerojet Rocketdyne in 2022.

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That new owner told me today this particular facility, "Designs and produces sophisticated ballistic missile targets and undersea propulsion technology."

Orlando Fire is still investigating what exactly caused the lithium powder to ignite. 

"It doesn’t take much – sometimes friction, sometimes a high heat source," said Assistant Chief Lewis. 

In a report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Aerojet Rocketdyne warned, "Our business operations involve the handling, production, and disposition of potentially explosive and ignitable energetic materials and other dangerous chemicals…. A release of these chemicals or an unplanned ignition or explosion could result in death or significant injuries to employees and others. Material property damage to us and third parties could also occur."

People FOX 35  talked with who work right across the street said they had no idea that’s what the company did.

"That’s a little concerning," Walker said after learning about the company.

Aerojet Rocketdyne says sales to the U.S. government makes up about 95% of their work. Those sales are mostly to the Department of Defense and NASA. 

And these are not small contracts – the DOD has a $1.2 billion contract with this exact facility for guided missile and space vehicle explosive propulsion units, solid fuel, and components; plus two contracts totaling about $200 million for operational systems development of missile and space defense systems. 

L3 Harris did not respond to a request to interview.

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