On the 21 to 22/01 and 24 to 25/01 nights, the air monitoring stations continuously recorded mercury (Hg) concentrations as high as 1 micro g/m³, i.e. 1,000 times greater than the WHO threshold for chronic exposure. Laborious research involving significant human[...]
Around 9 am, a leak occurred on a natural gas pipe running underneath a pavement (diameter: 63 mm) and placed in the tubing of a former pipeline; 2 explosions followed some 45 minutes later. A 5-storey residential building caught fire[...]
Fire broke out along a "transition corridor" combining several underground pipelines transporting hazardous substances, including hydrogen, kerosene and ethylene oxide. The fire was brought under control within a few minutes thanks to the limited size of the leak. Though no[...]
A cloud of chlorine gas was accidentally generated around 10.30 am while transferring hydrochloric acid (HCl) into a tank containing sodium hypochlorite (NaClO or liquid bleach) in a chemical wholesale company. The accident happened during a period of rebuilding of[...]
At an industrial waste treatment centre, a pressure surge due to the decomposition of wastes contained inside a tanker truck accepted into the site broke the manhole lid on the backside of the tanker, which abruptly discharged its gaseous contents.[...]
A fire broke out at around 2.00 am in a 10,000 m² cake and confectionery manufacturing plant. The video surveillance company informed the maintenance manager. Around hundred fire-fighters arrived onsite with 27 fire engines. The fire-fighters cut off the gas[...]
The sinking of a double-deck floating roof on the 70-m diameter B962 tank containing over 62,200 m³ of crude oil was detected on July 18, 2007 in a refinery. No product had been transferred from this tank since July 2,[...]
In Belarus, a leak was detected in a 377 mm diameter pipeline carrying gas oil causing 120 tonnes of hydrocarbons to be spilled in the DAUGAVA river for 5 hours. The emergency services contained the most of the gas oil[...]
The bottom of a 13,500 m³ containing 12,000 m³ of light crude oil tank ripped open at 8:00 am within an oil depot. The earthen dikes surrounding the retention basin withstood the wave effect; 2,000 m³ of oil still overflowed[...]
In a cellulose manufacturing plant, sulphur dioxide leaked following a loss of air tightness of a cover of a reactor. Cellulose is manufactured in a process where wood chips are heated in a vessel containing sulphuric acid and sulphur dioxide.[...]
