An explosion at a hydrogen and nitrogen materials production plant in the US state of Mississippi triggered an ammonia leak, causing authorities to evacuate nearby residents.
According to local authorities, the incident occurred at a CF Industries facility located north of Yazoo City.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, in a post on the social network of the American company state emergency response units.
Reeves emphasized that there were no casualties as a result of the emergency and expressed gratitude to all Mississippi emergency services personnel for their prompt response to the leak. Following the explosion, residents living in the immediate vicinity of the plant were evacuated to safe areas.
CF Industries said in a statement that all employees who were on site at the time of the incident were “safely removed from the area.”
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, in a publication in X, assured that “air conditions will be monitored continuously until public safety is ensured.”
It is estimated that the plant may about 48 thousand tons of ammonia are stored. Anhydrous ammonia, used as a nitrogen fertilizer for corn and wheat, can cause severe chemical burns when in contact with human skin in a gaseous or liquid state.