Chemical Reaction at Factory Near Ashaffenburg Prompts Brief Shelter-in-Place Order
Ashaffenburg, Germany โ – A chemical reactionโฃ at a factory โฃnear ashaffenburg, West Germany, triggered the release of smoke and a gas cloud thisโค evening, prompting local authorities to briefly urge residents to stay indoors. Bavarian Land authorities โขreported 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 โคthickโ orange smoke, which laterโ transitioned to white smoke.โข Firefighters responded to โthe scene and worked to cool the area.
Initial concerns centeredโข around the potential toxicity of the gasโฃ cloud, whichโฃ drifted overโฃ the nearby โคcity of Ashaffenburg. The Federal Civil Protection Service issued a warning that the cloud may have been poisonous, leadingโ officials to advise residents โฃto shelter inโ place. However, subsequent air โquality measurements โconductedโ by firefighters revealed no pollutant particles within a 5-kilometer radius of โtheโฃ factory, and the alert was later lifted.
“Nitric acid is an extremely corrosive โsubstance,” โa fire brigade spokesman explained.”Although not flammable itself, โคit reacts considerably with otherโฃ materials, perhaps causing fire orโข 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 โคunknown.
Approximately 250 rescue personnel were deployed to the scene. The factory is located a few kilometersโค from Mainaschaff,with the larger city of Frankfurt situated further northwest.