Amman, Jordan -- A storage container containing toxic chlorine gas was dropped from a loading crane onto an Aqaba ship, Jordan's southern port. The gas released a large amount of noxious yellow gases and killed 13 people. The accident was captured on security camera and authorities have stated that at least 250 others were also injured.
The dramatic images captured by closed-circuit television cameras on Monday were shown by state television. The steel cable that held the 25-ton shipping container was snapped while it was being loaded onto a ship. This caused the container to fall onto the ship's deck.
The video shows dock workers fleeing the area, while a truck with a second tank of gas quickly reverses away from the portside.
Although chlorine is widely used as a disinfectant agent and water purifier agent, high levels can cause death if it is inhaled.
The authorities immediately requested that residents of the port city remain inside to prevent further spread of the gas into nearby residential areas.
Mohammed Al Shaker (CEO and meteorologist at ArabiaWeather Inc.), stated that "at the time of disaster, the wind was blowing with moderate speed towards south and away from city." He stated that it was a blessing that wind was blowing north. It would have been much more difficult to handle if it had been blowing from south.
The city's hospitals were overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic, so the government set up an emergency hospital to care for the many casualties.
Officials, including Crown Prince Hussein (the son of King Abdullah), rushed to the scene and promised to provide a prompt response to get Jordan’s only seaport up and running. They promised to conduct an investigation into the cause of the disaster.
The port was mostly reopened in less than a day. However, the loading dock that was involved in the accident remains closed.
