The German authorities currently are on the lookout for ways to pry open a container leaking hazardous fumes from an industrial estate in the city of Mannheim.
16 police officers have sustained injuries from the leaking fumes
“The operation is ongoing, but the situation is currently stable,” a spokesperson for the operation said. Adding that the container had been cooled with water overnight to reduce the amount of fumes escaping.
A thick fog hovered over the industrial estate which reached 150 meters in height.
The container encloses 200 barrels of hydrosulphites, an auxiliary agent for the textile industry used for bleaching.
“A self-decomposition of the product could have occurred due to the product’s properties, releasing sulphur dioxide and other sulphur salts,’’ a city official said.
The exact cause is yet to be determined. The fire brigade carried out assessments in various parts of the city to ascertain whether the fumes could be dangerous to the public.
The official said: “So far, the measurements have not shown any elevated levels.”
At least 16 German police officers were taken to the hospital on Tuesday to be treated for respiratory issues as a result of the leak.
Residents in the city’s Mühlauhafen district within a 1,300-metre radius of the site, have been advised to shut their windows and doors and to stay indoors.
