A gas explosion at a site operated by Dutch offshore foundation manufacturer Sif has partly closed the facility and left one employee in hospital.
Sif said the explosion occurred around midnight on 7 August at its tubular production site in Roermond, while work was underway.
One employee was later taken to hospital for observation.
Local fire brigade and the gas network owner, Enexis, have investigated the incident and gave clearance as of the morning of Monday 8 August, the group said in a statement.
Sif said the production location would be “partly closed” until investigations are finalised.
It added that there was “no risk” for local residents close to the location and that observable material damage was so far limited to Sif properties.
The Roermond plant, which covers more than 100,000 square metres, produces large-diameter tubular steel for use in offshore wind foundations, on a specialised production line, as well as primary steel for transition pieces (TPs) and smaller or shorter monopiles.
Most of the rolled and welded cans, cones and sections are then shipped to the company’s second site at Maasvlakte 2, near Rotterdam, where they are assembled into complete monopiles.
Sif currently employs over 600 people across the two manufacturing sites.
The group is currently assisting in marshalling components for the mammoth Dogger Bank wind farm off the Yorkshire coast.
In April Smulders reported that the first four of 95 TPs for the first phase of the wind farm were to be shipped to the Maasvlakte 2 terminal, ahead of transport and installation at the project later this year.