Chemical Reaction at Factory Near Ashaffenburg Prompts Brief Shelter-in-Place Order
Ashaffenburg, Germany – A chemical reaction at a factory near ashaffenburg, West Germany, triggered the release of smoke and a gas cloud this evening, prompting local authorities to briefly urge residents to stay indoors. Bavarian Land authorities reported four people sustained minor injuries as an inevitable result of the incident.
The event began with a reaction within a 6,000-liter tank containing nitric acid. Shortly before evening, the factory chimney began emitting thick orange smoke, which later transitioned to white smoke. Firefighters responded to the scene and worked to cool the area.
Initial concerns centered around the potential toxicity of the gas cloud, which drifted over the nearby city of Ashaffenburg. The Federal Civil Protection Service issued a warning that the cloud may have been poisonous, leading officials to advise residents to shelter in place. However, subsequent air quality measurements conducted by firefighters revealed no pollutant particles within a 5-kilometer radius of the factory, and the alert was later lifted.
“Nitric acid is an extremely corrosive substance,” a fire brigade spokesman explained.”Although not flammable itself, it reacts considerably with other materials, perhaps causing fire or explosion.”
Investigators believe a metal object may have fallen into the nitric acid tank, initiating the reaction. The circumstances surrounding how the object entered the tank remain unclear. As of this reporting, the extent of the damage to the factory is unknown.
Approximately 250 rescue personnel were deployed to the scene. The factory is located a few kilometers from Mainaschaff,with the larger city of Frankfurt situated further northwest.
