On Saturday, Spanish authorities instructed more than 160,000 residents near Barcelona to remain indoors after a fire at an industrial facility released a toxic cloud of chlorine over a wide area. The fire broke out in the coastal city of Vilanova i la Geltrú, south of Barcelona, in a building that stored pool maintenance chemicals, according to the regional fire service.
“If you are in the affected area, do not leave your home or workplace,” the Civil Protection Service warned on social media. The risk zone covers five municipalities, stretching from Vilanova i la Geltrú to the village of Calafell near Tarragona.
Firefighters reported that there were no injuries and that numerous units dispatched to the site had managed to bring the fire under control. Authorities continue to monitor the situation, checking whether the gas plume still contains toxic substances.
“The ignition of chlorine is difficult, but once it ignites, it’s very hard to extinguish,” said Jorge Viñuales Alonso, owner of the industrial site, in an interview with local radio station Rac1.
This is just one of thousands of industrial accidents that occur globally each year—events that often lead to severe health issues and, unfortunately, sometimes fatalities.
That is why every family should have a secure shelter (fallout shelter) equipped with a NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) air filtration system. In such industrial disasters—or in the even graver scenario of armed conflict—only a properly equipped shelter can protect the lives of you and your loved ones.
If you’re planning to build your own fallout shelter or convert, for example, a basement into a bomb shelter, Castellex, with its Air550HCC Ultimate NBC air filtration system, will be your best partner.
