Thirteen people were killed, including at least four Asian migrants, when toxic chlorine gas escaped on the dockside in the Jordanian Red Sea port of Aqaba, officials said. More than 250 people were injured in the accident on Monday, of whom about 100 remained in hospital, according to the latest updates.
Most were being treated for the effects of breathing chlorine gas, a common cleaning agent that also has a range of other industrial uses and can be employed as a chemical weapons agent. “All of the injured are suffering from similar symptoms, shortness of breath, a heavy cough and vertigo,” said Dr Rouba Aaamawi of the Islamic Hospital in Aqaba which was treating 70 people, some on respirators.
Assadallah al-Jazi, a 25-year-old fertiliser company employee, was among those hurt. “We didn’t hear any explosion. We just smelt something noxious and saw the yellow smoke, then there were people choking,” he said.
The port began returning to normal Tuesday, with all docks due to reopen except for Dock Four, where further safety checks were to be carried out, said Interior Minister General Mazen al-Faraya. —AFP
