Ammonia leak in Jordan’s Aqaba leaves 11 injured

Eleven people were injured following an ammonia gas leak at an industrial complex in Aqaba, Jordan, said Nidal Al-Awran, Commissioner for Environment and Public Safety at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority.

Al-Awran said that the leak was brought under control shortly after the incident occurred.

Civil Defence personnel and security agencies were dispatched to the site to contain the leak and assist those affected, while technical inspections later confirmed that the situation was under control.

The official said 11 people suffered mild to moderate cases of suffocation. Some were treated at the industrial complex’s clinic, while others were transferred to hospital for further medical attention.

According to Al-Awran, the incident occurred during maintenance work on a pump or an old pressure unit. An accumulation of ammonia gas had formed in the unit, resulting in a minor leak during the maintenance operation.

By Vafa Guliyeva