Chlorine fumes emanate from a blaze in a Barcelona warehouse, compelling around 160,000 residents to seek shelter indoors.
In northeastern Spain, some 160,000 residents were instructed to shield themselves indoors on Saturday following a blaze at an industrial facility in Vilanova i la Geltrú, about 30 miles south of Barcelona. The inferno, igniting at daybreak in a compound housing swimming pool cleaning agents, sparked a swift emergency reaction from local firefighters and public security personnel.
Initially, authorities issued orders for entire districts spanning from Vilanova i la Geltrú to Calafell near Tarragona to hunker down, prompting residents to secure their homes, shut windows, and abstain from venturing outside. Roads and train stations nearby were closed to thwart public exposure to harmful gases.
Later, Catalonia's Interior Minister Núria Barlon terminated the mandatory lockdown. Yet, she urged special consideration for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory ailments, encouraging them to remain indoors and refrain from strenuous activity outdoors.
Air quality is under constant scrutiny. Depending on wind patterns, new safety warnings may yet be issued for particular locales.
No casualties or injuries have thus far been reported. The fire department has dispatched multiple units to combat the blaze and continuously measures the toxicity levels of the chlorine gas.
The warehouse proprietor speculated the fire may have been caused by a lithium battery. Although chlorine typically resists ignition, when ablaze, such conflagrations can prove challenging to dampen.
Mayor Juan Luis Ruiz López of Vilanova i la Geltrú offered tentative reassurance, expressing hope that the hazardous cloud would gradually disperse as the fire is brought under control. Only then will protective measures be completely lifted.
- Amid concerns for health and wellness, especially for children, the elderly, and individuals with medical-conditions such as respiratory ailments, Catalonia's Interior Minister Núria Barlon advocated for their continued indoor confinement and restriction from strenuous outdoor activities.
- In the realm of environmental-science, the constant monitoring of air quality is crucial, as new safety warnings may arise depending on wind patterns and the dispersal of harmful gases, like the chlorine gas released from the industrial facility fire in Vilanova i la Geltrú.
