No violations were earlier detected at Soda-Khlorat enterprise - Rostekhnadzor
PERM. March 1 (Interfax) - The federal environmental, technological and nuclear oversight service Rostekhnadzor did not detect violations of technological standards earlier at the Soda-Khlorat company, where a chlorine leak has occurred, Rostekhnadzor's press service announced on Friday.
"Overall repairs were performed at the company's chloride synthesis facility in January 2012 and no directives were issued previously to amend violations at this particular facility," the press service said.
The operator on duty received a report about a chlorine leak at the hydrogen chloride facility of Department 13 for making liquid potassium chloride at 8:21 a.m. local time. Thirty people were hurt in the accident and 27 were hospitalized. Three were given medical attention at the scene.
An inquiry was launched into the leak.
The administration of the town of Berezniki, where the facility is located, declared a state of emergency. Chloride derivatives were found in the air near the plant, the administration's press service reported, but a regional official told Interfax that the chemicals pose no threat to local residents due to a low concentration and weather conditions.
The Emergency Situations Ministry reported that no state of emergency has been declared in Berezniki.
It was not the first incident of this kind at the plant. Five people were injured in a chlorine leak in August 2012.
Soda-Khlorat makes products for chemicals enterprises, oil refineries and pulp and paper facilities.