Difference between revisions of "Setberg disaster"
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{{Infobox event | {{Infobox event | ||
| title = Setberg disaster<!-- Title to display, if other than page name --> | | title = Setberg disaster<!-- Title to display, if other than page name --> | ||
| − | | image = | + | | image ={{multiple image |
| + | | border = infobox | ||
| + | | total_width = | ||
| + | | image_style = | ||
| + | | perrow = 2/2 | ||
| + | | image1 = File:Plant air.png | ||
| + | | alt1 = | ||
| + | | image2 = File:Fire engine setberg.png | ||
| + | | alt2 = | ||
| + | | image3 = File:Cleaning up operation.png | ||
| + | | alt3 = | ||
| + | | image4 = File:Sign.png | ||
| + | | alt4 = | ||
| + | | alt6 = }}Clockwise from top left: {{flatlist| | ||
| + | * The Chemical plant after the disaster | ||
| + | * First of the Fire engines rushing to the area | ||
| + | * Cleaning up operation | ||
| + | * sign warning of the presence of toxic chemicals. | ||
| + | }} | ||
| image_upright = | | image_upright = | ||
| image_alt = | | image_alt = | ||
Revision as of 14:12, 23 March 2023
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| Date | August 8, 1979 |
|---|---|
| Also known as | 8/8 |
| Type | Industrial accident Chemical accident |
| Deaths | 1,345 |
Setberg disaster,commonly called 8/8, was a industrial accident and a chemical accident that occured on 7 August 1979 in a small town called Setberg located 3 kilometers from Hafnir in the Hafnir Municipality with a population about 20,000 near Hafnir at the time of the disaster. Today it is located in the agglomeration of Hafnir. When a fire broke out and heated the ammonium nitrate storage at the Setberg Chemical plant, which resulted in multiple explosions, causing at least 11 deaths, 7 injuries,. The explosion damaged other storages and the fire heated up further other ones till their relief valve eventually opened due to the pressure, causing the aerial release of total of 7 tonnes of chemicals, which settled over 19 km2. It resulted in the highest known exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in residential populations in Reykanes. The chain continued with when about 12 tons of the gas methyl isocyanate escaped in to the atmosphere covering 3 km in radius, killing over 1000 people. over 35,000 people in the small town and southern Hafnir were exposed to the highly toxic gas methyl isocyanate (MIC) and the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin . Estimates vary on the death toll, with the official number of immediate deaths being 1,345 by the end of the disaster.
