【Le Havre, Fr】Where Did the Loud Noise That Woke Up Residents Around the Le Havre Industrial Zone Come From?

Editor’s Note

This article reports on a loud, unexplained noise that disturbed residents near Le Havre’s industrial zone, highlighting community concern and the ongoing search for its source. We are following developments and will update as more information becomes available.

An Incomprehensible and Worrying Noise

On the night from Sunday to Monday, a loud noise woke up many residents of Gonfreville-l’Orcher, Montivilliers, and Gainneville, towns near the Le Havre industrial zone.

“An incomprehensible and worrying noise,”

that’s what could be read on social media this Monday, January 19th.

Worried residents wondered where the noise came from, some mentioning the Yara factory, others the Total refinery:

“Heard in Gonfreville l’Orcher, a fright”

or

“In Gainneville too, super impressive, the children were also woken up.”

No information was reported to the authorities, and nothing was indicated on the Allo Industrie website, the public information system for incidents or even exercises on industrial sites in our region.

The Gonfreville l’Orcher Town Hall Demands Explanations

Alerted by its residents, the municipality of Gonfreville-l’Orcher, the town located right opposite the Total refinery and on which the refinery is located on the industrial zone side, will question Total. This Tuesday,

Mayor Alban Bruneau will send a letter to the director of the Total site

to demand explanations because industrial operators are required to report “perceptible events” by the population or any situation related to safety, yet the town hall received nothing.

The Noise Did Come from the Total Platform

Contacted,

Total Energies confirmed on Tuesday, January 20th to ICI Normandie

that the incident did come from the Normandy platform, the Gonfreville l’Orcher site:

“A technical event occurred on the steam network of the Normandy Platform, leading to the automatic activation of a safety valve.”
“This device, intended to protect the installations in case of overpressure, caused a sound emission perceptible outside the site, during the night and for a duration of about 30 minutes. The noise observed corresponds to the normal operation of this type of safety equipment. The lifting of the valve did not lead to any impact on the safety of people or on the environment. It is a mechanism that is an integral part of the operational protection systems that contribute to the daily proper functioning of the platform.”

Nevertheless, no one warned the authorities following this noise that woke up many residents, despite the industrial operator’s obligation in case of an event perceptible by the population. Total Energies indicates that it apologizes

“to the residents who may have been inconvenienced or worried by this noise and thank them for their understanding.”
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⏰ Published on: January 19, 2026