Firefighters contain blaze at Spanish chemical plant (VIDEOS)
Firefighters in the Spanish city of Tarragona have brought a blaze at a chemical plant under control, and are stabilizing an ongoing fire in a storage tank. With one person reported dead, the plant is being searched for survivors.
The chemical facility, which produces ethylene oxide and glycol, erupted into flame following a massive explosion on Tuesday evening. Civil defense authorities reported that one person died following a subsequent building collapse, and another six were injured, two seriously.
Firefighters later announced that they had brought the situation under control, but were still working to manage a burning ethylene oxide tank, where the fire is believed to have broken out. In addition, crews combed the skeletal wreckage of the plant for anyone who may still be trapped.
29 dotacions #bomberscat ara mateix en l’incendi d’indústria de la Canonja. Continuem treballant en l’extinció del tanc afectat i protegint els veïns. Continuem revisant el recinte per si hi haguessin quedat persones atrapades #PLASEQCAT @emergenciescat pic.twitter.com/InI8oTb9Q6
— Bombers (@bomberscat) January 14, 2020
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Video footage shows fire engines pumping water onto the flaming tank, in a bid to stop the blaze spreading to neighboring tanks. Climbing a staircase, one firefighter surveys the scene, as his coworkers blast the tank with water from all angles.
EN DIRECTE Així treballen els bombers per controlar el foc després de l’explosió a Tarragona https://t.co/il9RywD3XZ pic.twitter.com/VXjyUQzvx8
— NacióDigital (@naciodigital) January 14, 2020
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The plant belonged to chemicals firm IQOXE, the only producer of ethylene oxide and glycol in Spain and Portugal. Its production capacity increased dramatically in recent years, following a 10 million euro investment in 2017.
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Firefighters contain blaze at Spanish chemical plant (VIDEOS)