At least 12 dead and about 260 injured left a toxic gas leak in the port of Aqaba, in southern Jordan, a situation that would already be “under control” according to local authorities who attribute the accident to a failure in a crane.
A chlorine gas leak killed at least 12 people and injured more than 260 in the port of Aqaba, in southern Jordan.
According to the state network Mamlaka TV, the injured suffered suffocation and are being treated in hospitals in the area and in other centers authorized by the authorities to care for those affected.
Images from the security cameras of the port broadcast by the Jordanian state television Jordan TV show the moment in which a kind of explosion occurs when a container that was being loaded on a ship detaches and hits the deck.
After the impact, a huge cloud of an intense yellow color spread throughout the area, while the port staff ran from the place before being engulfed by the gas.
The Jordanian authorities assured that it was an “accident”, which was caused by a problem with the wiring of the crane that held the gas container.
According to the Jordanian state news agency Petra, the tank that hit the ship contained highly toxic “chlorine gas”.
He added that the Civil Defense units inspected the area and began to wash all the materials that were contaminated by the gas.
“Back to normal”
Jordan’s Prime Minister, Bisher al Jasauné, who is also Defense Minister, stressed that the situation “has returned to normal” and confirmed that activity in the port has resumed during the day, before stressing that the entire deployment security “has been withdrawn.”
In this sense, he stressed that the air in the area is at normal levels and assured that “those involved have said that there is no longer any danger of the expansion of chlorine gas.” “The area is totally safe,” he said, as reported by his office through his account on the social network Twitter.
“The leak is very far from residential areas and the situation is under control,” Aqaba province governor Mohamed al-Rafaia told state television Mamlaka TV.
For his part, the Executive’s spokesman, Faisal al Shabul, urged the residents of Aqaba not to approach the place of escape.
Failure in a crane
The National Center for Security and Crisis Management (NCSCM) stressed that the incident took place due to a fault in a crane, which caused the fall of a tank with chlorine gas that exploded in the port, according to the Jordanian state news agency, Petra.
During the day on Monday, the prime minister stressed that the authorities had addressed this “tragic incident” with “the greatest transparency.” “The main objective is to preserve the security of citizens,” said Al Jasauné.
On the other hand, he revealed that he had ordered the Ministry of the Interior to open an investigation “that includes all the competent authorities” to determine “what exactly happened in this unfortunate incident” and “guarantee that the maximum degree of public security is given.” to those who work in ports for procedures with hazardous materials”.