Ras Al Khaimah: An ammonia gas leak at an ice processing factory in Ras Al Khaimah spread panic and the area was evacuated by the police, before the civil defence controlled the emergency situation in 45 minutes, Gulf News has learnt.
No casualty was reported due to the timely evacuation of workers after the gas leak happened at around 10.30am on Wednesday.
An official at the RAK Civil Defence said that the panic gripped scores of workers at the ice factory and the nearby workshops in the Muairid area of Ras Al Khaimah, where the storage of the ammonia gas leak was reported.
A probe is now underway to determine the cause of the leak and to determine the extent of any environmental damage caused.
Ammonia gas can cause suffocation but it is not flammable. It is a colourless but strong smelling gas used in many commercial cleaning products. Exposure to very high concentrations of gaseous ammonia can result in lung damage and in some cases, death in humans.
The gas is also harmful to animals.
“When we arrived, the premises were filled with ammonia gas, but we managed to contain the situation quickly,” said the official.
The official said that the civil defence team moved immediately after receiving a call reporting an awful odour spreading throughout the area, where the ice factory is located.
“It spread quickly in the atmosphere and affected people in that area, but thankfully we managed to evacuate all workers safely,” the official said, adding that RAK police and municipality officials also participated in the operation to secure the area.
Initial investigations revealed that the gas leak happened due to high pressures in the pipe.
The Municipality and Ministry of Environment have started an investigation to determine the environmental damages caused.
