The “West Footscray industrial fire” in August 2018 became the most significant structural fire response since the 1991 Coode Island fire.

The warehouse contained a large amount of chemicals that were not identified to regulators, local council or emergency services and required a complex clean-up operation at the site.

Prior to forming MicroRisk Group, Michael and Sarina led the High Risk Dangerous Goods Taskforce which included WorkSafe, the EPA, emergency services, Melbourne Water and local government.

Almost two years was spent meticulously planning and completing the complex remediation and clean-up of spilled dangerous goods, damaged containers and contaminated materials.

As part of the clean-up works:

• More than 6500 tonnes of material was removed from the site including damaged and spilled dangerous goods, materials contaminated by dangerous goods and/or materials that needed to be moved in order to access dangerous goods; and

• Approximately 3,500,000 litres of contaminated stormwater treated through a combination of onsite and off-site facilities.