AMSTERDAM — Maintenance work at the DEB chemical plant in an industrial terrain in Delfzijl resulted in a chlorine leak on Monday afternoon, but the leak was sealed after about 30 minutes.

No injuries were reported, but the stench continued to hang around the plant for some time. The smell of chorine was also noticeable across various parts of the northern city of Delfzijl.

Fire brigade authorities used water cannons to disperse the chorine from the plant and monitored the stench. After initially warning residents to head inside and close doors and windows if they smelled something suspicious, the all clear was given later in the afternoon.

DEB produces chorine for chemical company Akzo and while it is not flammable, chorine can explode if mixed with hydrogen, ammonia or acetylene. It can cause the loss of smell and taste, throat pain, coughing, breathing difficulty, nose bleeds, burns and loss of eye sight.

Exposure to large amounts of chorine can be fatal and the chemical can also cause environmental damage, news agency ANP reported.

[Copyright Expatica News 2003]

Subject: Dutch news