“No threat” to population following gas leak at RivneAzot – Emergency Service

That’s according to a statement by the State Emergency Service released Wednesday morning, Ukrinform reports.

"As of 06:00 on July 21, there is no threat to the population and the environment (over a depressurized nitrous gas pipeline at RivneAzot – ed.)," the statement reads.

Air quality in the area is monitored around the clock, rescuers have stressed.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, at about 17:10 Kyiv time on July 20, an emergency situation was reported at RivneAzot nitric acid production plant outside Rivne. A nitrous gas leak was spotted, which was a result of pipeline depressurization.

The gas leak was eliminated at 17:26 Kyiv time on the same day. The accident has brought no casualties.

Law enforcers have launched a criminal investigation into the emergency situation, according to the press service of the Rivne Region’s Police Department.

Police have previously established that an emergency halt occurred to one of the units in the non-concentrated nitric acid production shop.

The probe will focus on possible signs of violation of safety rules at enterprises with a high explosive hazard, according to the police press service.

Memo

Private Joint-Stock Company RivneAzot OSTCHEM is one of Ukraine’s largest producers of mineral fertilizers and adipic acid. The company’s capacities are located outside Rivne, the city with a population of almost 244,000.

Since 2011, PJSC Rivneazot has joined the OSTCHEM Holding, which unites nitrogen chemical companies that are part of Group DF. The latter’s founder and owner is Dmytro Firtash.

The said nitrogen chemical enterprises include PJSC Azot (Cherkasy, Ukraine), PJSC Concern STYROL (Horlivka, Ukraine), and PJSC Severodonetsk Azot Association (Severodonetsk, Ukraine).

Photo: State Emergency Service