How and why leaked gas entered sewage system of Kaohsiung Taiwan? Is LCY Chemical Corp responsible for disaster?
Monitoring Desk– Kaohsiung Taiwan: What actually happened and how and why leaked gas entered into sewage system of Kaohsiung city Taiwan?
The report of Preliminary Investigations indicates that the pipelines running underground are owned by LCY Chemical Corp and this company had information hours before explosions and disaster that one of its pipelines was leaked because pressure was dropping drastically and constantly but this pharmaceutical company did not share these information with city authorities.
Several residents had reported a gas leak to city authorities hours before the disaster but city authorities did not take any action and did not pass orders of evacuation of people.
Local people said civic (city) authorities were given conflicting advices before the explosions and authorities were telling people that “Everything is under control”.
The environmental authority of Kaohsiung city held LCY Chemical Corp responsible for failing to information the gravity of the situation to concerned city authorities. Officials claimed that it was a criminal office of LCY Chemical Corporation that it was aware of constant dropping of pressure in pipelines and supply system but did not report to Environmental Protection Bureau in Kaohsiung. The pipeline was leaking nearly four tons of propene every hour as pressure dropped at around 8.45pm on Thursday.
Environmental Protection Bureau claimed that after getting reports of leaks, firefighters and environmental officials tried to work out the nature of the gas and where it was coming from but their failure allowed it to accumulate and spread over several hours and it could have been averted if LCY Chemical Corporation informed Bureau about fault in gas supply system.
The leak was at a different location from the explosions, because propene was leaking and spreading through the sewer system to other parts of the area.
When the density of propene is very high, anything can trigger an explosion, anything as small as a cigarette, or starting the engine of a motor scooter. The highly flammable gas is colourless and has only a mild, slightly unpleasant smell.
Experts were able to identify the leakage of propene at around 11.55pm but by then it was too late and a few minutes later, the blasts started ripping the streets apart.
Meanwhile, LCY Chemical Corp said it would co-operate with the investigation.
“Our priority is to figure out the truth and responsibility,” spokeswoman of MCY Pan Lee-lin said.
It may be mentioned that gas leakage accumulated in the sewage system of Kaohsiung caused multiple blasts and caused fire on many roads and several cars caught fire. This city homes over 2.7 million people.
There were multiple gas explosions and disaster caused the death of 25 persons while 235 seriously injured, most of them are still in critical conditions.
Read previous story of Dispatch News Desk about this disaster to click this link
Read to click this link what eyewitnesses said at the night of disaster?
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How and why leaked gas entered sewage system of Kaohsiung?
LCY Chemical Corp
