After the gas leak in Hadamar was actually closed, there was a negative surprise. The measurements in the restricted area are delayed. This gives the residents another night out.
The complex deployment around one damaged gas tank in Hadamar-Niederzeuzheim (Limburg-Weilburg) is increasingly becoming a test of patience for the residents. Because recent measurements revealed a highly explosive gas concentration around the propane gas tank, the completely iced-over tank needed to be further inspected, a city spokeswoman said on Thursday afternoon.
As district fire inspector Frederik Stahl reported at a press conference, it is unclear where the measured gas comes from. Maybe it was trapped in the ice, maybe there was a new leak, he said. According to the city spokeswoman, the tank had been worked on with a wooden hammer and other tools in attempts to de-ice the exit point. It is therefore unclear whether the tank may have broken. The original leak was closed on Wednesday.
Houses will no longer be released on Thursday
According to the city, the measurements in the houses have not yet been able to begin, meaning that the residents cannot spend the night of Friday at home. In addition, the primary school and kindergarten in Niederzeuzheim will also remain closed on Friday. “Safety before speed” is the motto, said Mayor Michael Ruoff (CDU) on Thursday afternoon.
According to the city spokeswoman, the pivotal point of the work is to get the tank sealed. But an explosive gas concentration was also measured at one point in the sewer system. Only when both have been eliminated can measurements begin in the houses of the affected residents. It was said that the sewer system should continue to be ventilated on Friday night.
Twelve measurement teams for 470 buildings
Officials did not want to give a forecast on Thursday afternoon as to when the measurements in the houses could begin. 470 buildings are affected – more than twice as many as previously expected.
Twelve teams have to individually check every house, every cellar, every sinkhole and every house connection for gas residues. Propane is heavier than air and can therefore accumulate in low places and pose a risk of explosion. However, the measurements and the ventilation of the houses are complex and will probably take some time.
Individual houses must be opened
Mayor Ruoff had previously asked the evacuated citizens to hand over their keys. As of Thursday afternoon, keys from 40 households were still missing, the city announced.
Most of those affected were staying with relatives or friends, had to come to Hadamar to hand over the keys and combined this with going to work, said the city spokeswoman. It is also already foreseeable that some houses will have to be opened because residents are on vacation or the houses are empty, said the spokeswoman.
District fire inspector Stahl emphasized on Wednesday: “In the best case scenario, we have a key.” But: “If we see the need and assess the danger in such a way that we have to go into a house that is locked, then we have to open it by force.”
LKA should investigate the collapse site
Since Monday, the highly flammable liquid gas had been leaking from a tank originally filled with 150 tons on the premises of a chemical company. As a result, around 750 people had to leave their homes.
On Tuesday night, a resident returned to his house in the exclusion zone without permission. This resulted in a deflagration, the building was completely destroyed by the explosion. The man was seriously injured. The emergency services then expanded the radius of the evacuation area from 300 to 400 meters.
The house, of which only a pile of rubble remained, according to the fire brigade, was around 120 meters away from the tank. According to the police, specialists from the State Criminal Police Office will inspect the collapse site to clarify the exact cause of the explosion.