The blast caused a truck to roll down the harbourside while workers at the port were running for their lives.
Officials and the state media reported Monday that at least 13 people were killed and 251 injured by a chlorine gas leakage from a storage tank located at Jordan’s Aqaba port.
Footage showed a large cylinder plunging from a crane rigging onto a moored vessel deck. At least 13 people died and 251 were injured in a #chlorinegas leak from a storage tank at #Jordan's #Aqaba port, officials and state media reported. pic.twitter.com/Dw39CmTVLH
— Share_Talk ™ (@Share_Talk) June 28, 2022
Officials said that the leak occurred after 25 tonnes of chlorine gas, which was being exported to Djibouti, fell during transportation.
A large cylindrical fell from a crane onto the moored ship in state TV footage, causing a sudden release of yellow gas.
Port workers fled for their lives as a result of the blast that sent a truck down the harbourside. Residents were told to stay indoors and evacuated from nearby areas.
Faisal al Shaboul, a government spokesperson, said that the death toll has risen to 10. He revised the initial figure to five. He said that the government had formed a team led by the interior minister to investigate and take necessary steps.
According to state media, Bishr Khasawneh (the prime minister) and Mazen Al-Faraya (the interior minister) travelled to the scene of the accident.
Amer al-Sartawy (a spokeswoman for civil defense) earlier reported that 234 people had been injured when the toxic gas-filled tank collapsed. He said that the incident was being handled by specialists and civil defense’s hazardous substances team.
Official sources in Jordan claim that Aqaba’s south beach was evacuated after the incident.
Two state hospitals were used to transport the injured, one private hospital and one field hospital.
Jamal Obeidat is the Aqaba health director. He stated that hospitals in the region were full and could not receive any more patients. He also said: “The injured are in critical to medium condition.”
He urged residents of Aqaba “to stay in their homes and close all windows as a precaution”, stating that the chemical substance was extremely dangerous, but not naming it.
