Abstract: At approximately 8.00 a.m. on November 22, 2000, five employees were exposed to smoke inhalation from a fire, which erupted inside a building used for heat treatment of aluminum metal parts. Hot exhaust gases leaked from the exhaust ductwork near the ceiling, and caused a fire, which quickly spread to the building walls. The five employees who suffered smoke inhalation were engaged in the fire fighting activity. However, upon investigation it was learned that they were not trained to perform this task. The employees were taken to a nearby industrial clinic, where they were hospitalized and treated for asphyxia.