UPDATED
Ukrainian town told to shelter after ‘leak’ at ammonia plant
Sumy regional governor says the area within a 5km radius around the plant is hazardous.
Sumy regional governor says the area within a 5km radius around the plant is hazardous.
Sumy, about 350km (220 miles) east of Kyiv, has experienced weeks of heavy fighting [Andrey Mozgovoy/Reuters]
Published On 21 Mar 202221 Mar 2022
A Ukrainian official has told residents of the northern town of Novoselytsya to seek shelter after an ammonia leak at a nearby chemical factory, as intense fighting with Russian forces in the area continues.
Ammonia is a highly corrosive, toxic and hazardous gas, and can be fatal to humans if ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
Sumy regional governor, Dmytro Zhyvytsky, said on Monday there had been an “ammonia leakage” at the Sumykhimprom facility, affecting an area within 2.5km (1.5 miles) of the plant, which produces fertilisers. He said the leak was the result of Russian shelling and that an employee at the plant was wounded.
There was no immediate comment by Russian officials.
Residents were told to seek refuge in basements or on lower levels of buildings to avoid exposure, and if ammonia is detected, to breathe through gauze bandages soaked in citric acid.
“Ammonia is lighter than air, therefore shelters, basements and lower floors should be used for protection,” Zhyvytsky said in a Telegram message.
He added that emergency crews were at the scene and prevailing winds meant the nearby city of Sumy – with a prewar population of about 250,000 – was not under immediate threat
According to Sumykhimprom’s website, the facility produces a range of chemical fertilisers.
Sumy, about 350km (220 miles) east of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, has experienced weeks of heavy fighting.
An ammonia leak occurred at a chemical plant in the Sumy region of Ukraine
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Photo: Медиахолдинг1Mi/Фотобанк Ура.Медиа
The head of the Sumy Regional Administration of Ukraine, Dmitry Zhyvitsky, announced an emergency at the SumyKhimProm plant, where ammonia leaked.
The accident at the plant happened at about 4:30 local time (at 5:30 Moscow time). Emergency teams left for the emergency site.
“The affected area is about 2.5 kilometers. Settlements that are under threat: the village of Novoselitsa”, - RIA Novosti quotes Zhivitsky as saying.
According to representatives of the emergency department, the wind is not blowing towards the city of Sumy. Thanks to this, there is no threat to the health of its inhabitants.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that they expected mass provocations. According to the agency, the nationalists in Sumy allegedly mined storage facilities with ammonia and chlorine in order to provoke mass poisoning of the inhabitants of the Sumy region in case the Russian army came to the region.
The Ministry of Defense added that the purpose of the upcoming provocations is to accuse the Russian military of sabotage against the civilian population of Ukraine.
At about 9 am in Moscow, it became known that the ammonia leak at the Sumy plant was localized.
Ammonia is widely used in the chemical industry, in the production of fertilizers, refrigeration units, and in medicine. The substance is toxic, it is assigned to the 4th level of danger. If inhaled, it can cause toxic pulmonary edema and severe damage to the nervous system, and at high concentrations, it can be fatal.
Ammonia vapors strongly irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory organs, as well as the skin, cause tearing and pain in the eyes. They can provoke a chemical burn of the conjunctiva and cornea and loss of vision. Signs of ammonia damage are also coughing fits, redness and itching of the skin. When liquefied ammonia comes into contact with the skin, a severe chemical burn is possible, causing severe pain, redness and blisters on the skin.
Earlier, an ammonia leak occurred at a plant in Primorye. More than 400 people had to be evacuated from the enterprise.
The military special operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine began on February 24 in response to a call for help from the authorities of the DPR and LPR. The entry of Russian troops into Ukraine was called an act of armed aggression in the country, Western countries imposed sanctions against the Russian Federation, which seriously undermined the economic well-being of the country.
The head of the Sumy Regional Administration of Ukraine, Dmitry Zhyvitsky, announced an emergency at the SumyKhimProm plant, where ammonia leaked.
The accident at the plant happened at about 4:30 local time (at 5:30 Moscow time). Emergency teams left for the emergency site.
“The affected area is about 2.5 kilometers. Settlements that are under threat: the village of Novoselitsa”, - RIA Novosti quotes Zhivitsky as saying.
According to representatives of the emergency department, the wind is not blowing towards the city of Sumy. Thanks to this, there is no threat to the health of its inhabitants.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that they expected mass provocations. According to the agency, the nationalists in Sumy allegedly mined storage facilities with ammonia and chlorine in order to provoke mass poisoning of the inhabitants of the Sumy region in case the Russian army came to the region.
The Ministry of Defense added that the purpose of the upcoming provocations is to accuse the Russian military of sabotage against the civilian population of Ukraine.
At about 9 am in Moscow, it became known that the ammonia leak at the Sumy plant was localized.
Ammonia is widely used in the chemical industry, in the production of fertilizers, refrigeration units, and in medicine. The substance is toxic, it is assigned to the 4th level of danger. If inhaled, it can cause toxic pulmonary edema and severe damage to the nervous system, and at high concentrations, it can be fatal.
Ammonia vapors strongly irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory organs, as well as the skin, cause tearing and pain in the eyes. They can provoke a chemical burn of the conjunctiva and cornea and loss of vision. Signs of ammonia damage are also coughing fits, redness and itching of the skin. When liquefied ammonia comes into contact with the skin, a severe chemical burn is possible, causing severe pain, redness and blisters on the skin.
Earlier, an ammonia leak occurred at a plant in Primorye. More than 400 people had to be evacuated from the enterprise.
The military special operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine began on February 24 in response to a call for help from the authorities of the DPR and LPR. The entry of Russian troops into Ukraine was called an act of armed aggression in the country, Western countries imposed sanctions against the Russian Federation, which seriously undermined the economic well-being of the country.
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