Thirteen killed, 251 injured by gas leak in Jordan port city

A toxic gasoline leak in Jordan’s southern port metropolis of Aqaba on Monday killed not less than 10 folks and injured 251.

Individuals outdoors a hospital after a poisonous gasoline leak from a storage tank in Jordan's Aqaba port killed 13 and injured greater than 250 on June 27, 2022 [Abraham Farajian/Reuters]

A chlorine gasoline leak in Jordan’s southern port metropolis of Aqaba on Monday killed not less than 10 folks and injured 251, mentioned Faisal al-Shaboul, a authorities spokesman.

The leak got here after a tank stuffed with the poisonous gasoline fell whereas being transported, state information company Petra mentioned, citing the spokesperson of the Public Safety Directorate.

The directorate mentioned authorities sealed off the realm after evacuating the injured to hospitals and despatched specialists in to cope with the leak.

Al-Mamlaka TV mentioned 199 had been nonetheless being handled in hospitals.

Dr Jamal Obeidat, a neighborhood well being official, urged folks to remain inside and shut home windows and doorways. The closest residential space is 25km away.

A video posted on state tv’s Twitter web page confirmed a storage tank falling from a winch and slamming into the deck of a ship, adopted by yellow-coloured gasoline rising into the air as folks ran away.

Specialised groups are nonetheless coping with the leak, the Civil Defence service mentioned on its Fb web page, whereas evacuation planes had been being despatched into Aqaba.

Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh arrived at Aqaba and headed to a hospital the place among the injured had been being handled, state TV reported.

Al-Khasawneh additionally fashioned an investigation staff into the incident chaired by the inside minister, state tv cited the data minister as saying.