20 People Suffered from Phenol Leak at a Chemical Plant in the Czech Republic
About 20 workers at a chemical plant in the Czech town of Decine suffered, two of them - severely, after a phenol leak from a truck tanker, the France press reported, referring to the emergency service.
"There are about 20 victims, two of them are in a severe and even critical condition," a spokesman for the office told AFP.
The incident happened at 7.30 am at the Hemitex plant, which employs around 90 people. Immediately after the leak of the phenol, production in the plant was suspended.
Some people have suffered after inhalation of phenol, and other poisonous chemicals, also known as carbolic acid, have caused skin burns, the spokesman explained. The victims were taken to several hospitals in the area.
The leak occurred after a break of the hose with which the phenol had been pumped, explained the Municipality office in Decine, a town with 50,000 inhabitants in the northwestern Czech Republic near the German border.
The area next to the building of the plant is not affected, so there is no need for safety measures, added the municipality.
Phenol is used in the manufacture of compounds used in the manufacture of resins, adhesives, solvents and explosives.