The all-clear after the release of hazardous substances in Mainz-Kostheim – SWR Aktuell

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A toxic gas has escaped on an industrial site in Mainz-Kostheim on the Hessian side of the Rhine. The Wiesbaden fire brigade was on duty all night.

The city firefighters have since been able to withdraw. According to the city of Wiesbaden, only the works fire brigade of the Essity paper factory is now taking care of further cooling and control measures with the help of an expert. The official danger warning to the population was lifted around 2 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

Final report on the “major operation in Wiesbaden”: The Wiesbaden fire brigade had been on the…Posted by Wiesbaden fire brigade on Monday, August 14, 2023

According to the Wiesbaden fire brigade, a substance used for paper production decomposed in a container in one of the Essity workshops on Monday evening as a result of a chemical reaction. This led to massive smoke and heat development, and sulfur dioxide was also released.

13 firefighters injured, non-life threatening

13 firefighters were injured during the operation in the workshop. They complained about severe irritation of the respiratory tract. Twelve people were examined in nearby clinics. They have since been released, according to a spokesman for the Wiesbaden fire department.

90 firefighters were on site

A total of around 90 emergency services from the region had arrived. The affected hall and adjacent buildings were cleared immediately, and there were no injuries among the employees. The plant fire brigade of the chemical company BASF in Ludwigshafen sent an expert, special technical equipment and personnel to support the Wiesbaden fire brigade.

Other containers in the affected workshop were cooled. Further dangerous chemical reactions could thus be prevented. Exactly how the incident in the workshop happened is just as unclear as the amount of damage caused.

Measuring vehicles do not identify any health hazards

Measuring vehicles had checked the air in the area, but had not detected any hazardous substances in the area.

#Kostheim: Outside the factory premises, the #measuring vehicles cannot currently detect any dangerous gas concentrations. However, the release of hazardous substances on the factory premises is still ongoing, which is why the #warning remains in place. The measuring vehicles remain in use. ^jh



According to the Wiesbaden fire brigade, sulfur dioxide escaped in a hall of the Essity paper factory in Mainz-Kostheim on Monday evening.






Fire brigade: Close windows and doors, drive around the area

The factory’s fire alarm system went off the alarm around 8 p.m. on Monday evening. An official hazard warning was issued, and the fire brigade called for the affected area to be bypassed over a wide area. Residents should keep windows and doors closed and turn off ventilation and air conditioning systems. You should go to enclosed spaces immediately and notify neighbors of the warning if necessary.

The emission of sulfur dioxide also caused an odor nuisance in the neighboring neighborhood.


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