Over 50 hospitalised after Havana ammonia leak
IANS Monday 14th January, 2008
More than 50 people have been hospitalised and nearly 5,000 people
evacuated after an ammonia gas leakage here, officials have said.
The incident occurred Sunday when about three tonnes of ammonia leaked
from a meat processing plant in the Berroa free trade zone on the
outskirts of Cuban capital Havana, said Bienvenido Rafoso, the head of
the Cuban Fire fighter Corps, Spain's EFE new agency reported Monday.
'The situation has been brought under control and there is no danger for
public now,' he said.
'We received a call around 6 a.m. local time and the entire Civil
Defence system was activated immediately,' Rafoso said.
He said that experts were conducting an investigation to determine the
cause of the leak of the potentially deadly gas, which formed a toxic
cloud and forced authorities to evacuate 'between 4,000 and 5,000
people' from the Alamar neighbourhood, one of Havana's most heavily
populated zones.
At least 50 people were hospitalised for skin irritation and respiratory
effects, the official said, adding that all of them were out of danger.
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