Chemical blast in Spain prompts lockdown for 77,000 residents
A powerful explosion at a chemical warehouse in Alcala de Guadaira forced 77,000 residents to stay indoors. The smoke cloud was visible from 50 miles away.
What do you need to know?
- Where and when did the explosion occur? The explosion occurred on Wednesday in the city of Alcala de Guadaira, in the province of Seville, at a chemical warehouse.
- What were the recommendations for residents? Local authorities instructed 77,000 people to stay indoors and securely close their windows due to the risk of poisoning.
- What substances were stored? The warehouse contained 53,000 gallons of corrosive and flammable substances, which can become toxic when burned.
What caused the explosion?
The incident occurred in an industrial zone where approximately 53,000 gallons of chemical substances were stored. According to the newspaper El Mundo, smoke rising from the site of the explosion was visible even from 50 miles away, including from Seville, which is 9 miles away.
What were the consequences of the explosion?
The fire department warned that although the stored substances are not particularly dangerous by themselves, their burning can lead to the formation of toxic compounds. Among the chemicals are corrosive and flammable products.
The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined.
This is another event of this kind in Spain in recent days. On Saturday, May 10, a fire broke out in a warehouse with 70 tons of chlorine in Catalonia. At that time, authorities advised about 150,000 residents of the provinces of Barcelona and Tarragona to stay indoors.
