At around 7 am on April 28, 2021, a chlorine gas leak occurred at a demolition site at Hengshan Bridge, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province. The leaked chlorine was permeated in the mist, giving off a pungent odor.
After the incident, the Hengshanqiao Town Government, fire protection, public security, and emergency management departments rushed to the scene as soon as possible and activated the emergency plan.
The video uploaded by witnesses showed that there was a white mist at the scene of the accident. The citizens covered their mouths and noses one after another during the evacuation process. The voice-over of the video kept coughing.
Firefighters arrived at the scene wearing gas masks, immediately evacuated the people and isolated the surrounding area of the accident.
After preliminary investigation, it is the small disinfectant storage tank of Changzhou General Tap Water in the demolition site of an abandoned factory in Hengshanqiao Town. During the demolition construction, the damage was caused by careless construction, which led to the leakage of residual liquid. The leak has been identified and the professional team is taking urgent repair measures.
It is reported that the leakage of the disinfectant storage tank occurred in an abandoned factory at the junction of Huan Road and Wenming Road in Hengshanqiao Town, Changzhou Economic Development Zone. The incident factory is only separated by a river from Hengshanqiao Central Primary School. There are many Students and some people are unwell.
According to the reports of the parents of the students in the local Central Elementary School, just 10 minutes ago, shortly after the children were sent to the school, they received a notice to evacuate the students from the school. A pungent smell permeates the sky above the campus, and many students have symptoms of vomiting.
At present, firefighting and emergency personnel are still in the process of handling. The intersections near the incident site have been closed, but there is still a slight smell of chemicals in the air at the scene.
The relevant person in charge of the Propaganda Department of the Changzhou Municipal Party Committee said that as of now, the accident has not caused any deaths, but some people are unwell and are being hospitalized for observation and treatment. The current situation is stable. On-site disposal is in progress, the leak has been blocked, and the surrounding people have been evacuated.
What is chlorine?
Chlorine is a simple gas and its chemical formula is Cl2. Under normal temperature and pressure, it is yellow-green, highly toxic gas with a strong pungent odor, suffocating, denser than air, soluble in water and alkali solutions, and easily soluble in organic solvents (such as carbon disulfide and carbon tetrachloride), It is easy to compress and can be liquefied into yellow-green oily chlorine. It is one of the main products of the chlor-alkali industry and can be used as a strong oxidant.
Harmfulness of chlorine
When hydrogen with a volume fraction of 5% or more is mixed with chlorine, it may explode when exposed to strong light. Chlorine gas is toxic. It invades the human body mainly through the respiratory tract and dissolves in the water contained in the mucous membrane, causing damage to the upper respiratory tract mucosa. Chlorine can undergo substitution reaction and addition reaction with organic and inorganic substances to generate a variety of chlorides. Mainly used in the production of plastics (such as PVP), synthetic fibers, dyes, pesticides, disinfectants, bleach solvents and various chlorides.
How can I rescue myself in case of a chlorine leak?
· In the event of a chlorine leak, residents in the contaminated area should not panic, move to the upwind area, and cover their mouth and nose with a wet towel;
· Rest immediately when you are in a safe zone, and avoid strenuous exercise, so as not to increase the burden on the heart and lungs and worsen the condition;
· When eyes or skin come into contact with liquid chlorine, rinse them with clean water immediately, and those who are poisoned can use calcium, vitamin C and dehydrating agents appropriately;
· Early and adequate use of glucocorticoids and antibiotics can reduce respiratory and lung damage;
· Using the ultrasonic spray route to deliver the medicine directly to the respiratory tract, the effect is better;
· The patient should be sent to a major hospital or medical unit with an occupational disease department in time.
