At least 13 people are dead and 251 others are injured after toxic chlorine gas leaked from a container at Aqaba port in Jordan on Monday.
When talking to local media, the deputy chief of the Aqaba Region Ports Authority, Haj Hassan, said a “cable carrying a container containing a toxic substance broke, resulting in the fall and escape of the poisonous substance”
The container was holding 25 tons of chlorine, and when it dropped onto the deck of a ship it released dangerous yellow clouds into the air. Health officials advised residents of the area to keep their windows closed and stay indoors.
The incident occurred at 4:15 p.m. local time during the loading of a recently delivered deck cargo ship, Forest 6.
Hazardous materials specialists from Jordan’s Civil Defense responded to the incident, and by Monday evening they controlled the leak.
According to the government, eight of the victims were from Jordan, while the others were from different nationalities.
A hundred and twenty three of the injured people are being treated in hospitals.
