1998 Esso Longford fire
A view of the Longford plant | |
Longford Melbourne Location of Longford in the state of Victoria, around 216 km (134 mi) east of Melbourne | |
| Date | 25 September 1998 |
|---|---|
| Time | 12:26 pm (AEST) |
| Duration | 20 days until normal gas supply resumed |
| Venue | Esso Australia Resources Ltd. Longford Gas Plant 1 (GP1) |
| Location | Longford, Victoria, Australia |
| Coordinates | 38°13′26″S 147°10′01″E / 38.224°S 147.167°E |
| Type | Jet fire and conflagration |
| Cause | Low temperature embrittlement and thermal stress of a heat exchanger |
| Outcome | - Fires lasting more than two days - Gas supplies to Victoria resumed on 14 October 1998 |
| Deaths | 2 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 8 |
| Property damage | US$443 million (US$987 million in 2021) |
| Inquiries | By royal commission, 12 November 1998 – 15 April 1999 |
| Coroner | Graeme Johnstone |
On 25 September 1998 a catastrophic fire occurred at the Esso natural gas plant in Longford, Victoria, Australia. A pressure vessel ruptured resulting in a serious jet fire, which escalated to a conflagration extending to a large part of the plant. Fires lasted two days before they were finally extinguished.
Two workers were killed and eight others injured. Natural gas supply to the state of Victoria was severely disrupted and was not fully restored until 14 October. Total estimated property costs amounted to US$443 million (US$987 million in 2021), while financial losses to the companies affected by the gas shortage were estimated at around A$1.3 billion.
The Victorian state government established the Longford Royal Commission to publicly investigate the causes of the accident.