Hindalco Industries Faces Second Fire in Two Months at Novelis Facility in New York
Oswego facility struck by fire twice in just over two months.
Hindalco Industries, the flagship metals company of the Aditya Birla Group, confirmed that a significant fire erupted at its Novelis aluminum plant in Oswego, New York, on November 20, 2025, marking the second such incident at the same facility in barely over two months. The blaze has once again raised serious questions about operational safety and infrastructure resilience at one of North America’s largest aluminum rolling and recycling complexes.
The latest incident occurred at approximately 8:45 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday when flames were reported inside the sprawling Oswego plant operated by Hindalco’s wholly-owned subsidiary Novelis Inc. Company officials stated that all personnel were promptly and safely evacuated, with no injuries reported among employees or contractors. Multiple fire departments from Oswego County and surrounding areas responded swiftly, managing to extinguish the blaze within hours, though emergency crews continue to monitor the site for potential hot spots and structural concerns.
This event follows an eerily similar fire on September 16, 2025, which forced a complete halt in production and triggered an extensive investigation into the root cause. That earlier incident, which broke out around 10 p.m., caused significant disruption to operations at the plant, known for producing flat-rolled aluminum products critical to the automotive, beverage can, and aerospace sectors. Hindalco had then assured stakeholders that comprehensive insurance coverage would offset property damage and business interruption losses, subject to standard deductibles and policy limits.
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Novelis, acquired by Hindalco in 2007, remains a global leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, with the Oswego facility playing a pivotal strategic role in supplying high-quality sheet products across North America. While the company has emphasized that both fires were contained without casualties, the recurrence within such a short timeframe has drawn scrutiny from industry observers regarding potential systemic vulnerabilities in fire-suppression systems, maintenance protocols, or material handling procedures at the aging industrial complex.
Hindalco has committed to conducting a thorough investigation into Wednesday’s incident and promised updates on any impact to production schedules and customer commitments. Shares of Hindalco Industries traded marginally lower in afternoon trading on the BSE following the disclosure, reflecting investor concerns over repeated operational disruptions at a key overseas asset that contributes significantly to the group’s profitability and global aluminum market presence.
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