20 treated after Cape Town ammonia leak
2012-12-17 19:44
Johannesburg - Twenty people were overcome by ammonia fumes in Montague Gardens on Monday, the Cape Town disaster risk management centre said.
"The City was informed of an emergency incident where ammonia was released into the atmosphere in the Montague Gardens industrial area," the centre's spokesperson Wilfred Solomons-Johannes said.
He said a faulty safety valve appeared to have popped off a cylinder at the Igloo Ice plant.
"The workers at the Igloo Ice plant... were evacuated. As a result of the uncontrolled ammonia emission at the facility, twenty persons were slightly overcome by the fumes."
The area was cordoned off until emergency services could declare it safe. The incident would be investigated and the plant was required to report back on follow-up safety measures.
- SAPA
