20140213 korea Binggrae’s tank explosion injures 3 with gas leak
Korea Feb 13 2014 “Factories” “Other”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 1 to 9
Binggrae’s tank explosion injures 3 with gas leak
Updated: 2014-02-13-16:49
A pipeline connected to a gas tank at confectionary maker Binggrae’s factory in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, exploded, injuring three employees, police said Thursday. The explosion also created a massive gaseous ammonia cloud.
At 1 p.m. on Thursday, the pipeline, connected to the tank containing liquid nitrogen, exploded resulting in the injury of two male and a female employees of the firm. The injured were standing in front of the tank at the time of the explosion. One suffered fractures to both his legs.
Another employee is also allegedly unaccounted for. Police and firefighters have been searching the vicinity but so far have been unable to approach the site, which has been cordoned off because of the risk of further explosions.
The city government ordered residents of adjacent apartment complexes to remain indoors to avoid being exposed to the toxic ammonia gas.
Police said that the tank exploded as factory workers were spraying water near the tank to minimize the strong ammonia smell, suspecting the smell came from leak of nitrogen which reacted with the air. Investigations are also underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion.
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen. Liquid nitrogen is used in making ice cream, which accounts for some 45 percent of Binggrae’s sales.
Websource：Korea times
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2014/02/113_151536.html