Ukraine: The second 'Chernobyl disaster'

Twenty people were hospitalized and hundreds evacuated after a yellow phosphorus train dislocated and caught fire in western Ukraine, creating a cloud of toxic gas covering 14 villages, threatening health to thousands. people.

The accident happened on July 16, near Lviv town, bordering Poland. The rescue workers then extinguished the fire but the poison gas spread to the area.

Yellow phosphorus is a flammable substance, which can spontaneously ignite when exposed to air at temperatures higher than 40 degrees C. It can cause liver damage if humans inhale. When burning, yellow phosphorus has an unpleasant characteristic odor, affecting nerves, inhalers feel chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and sneeze.

Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kuzmuk arrived at the scene and compared the accident with the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in 1986.

'After the Chernobyl disaster, we are facing a disaster that could threaten the people of Ukraine. This is a particularly serious case, with unpredictable consequences , "he said.

According to Ihor Krol, emergency state spokesman, 815 of the 11,000 villagers living in the affected area were evacuated. Krol also said the toxic gas cloud from the fire spread to 56 km ² .

Local people are recommended to stay indoors, do not use water from wells, do not eat vegetables in their gardens or drink milk from their cows.

Phosphorus is mainly used in fertilizer production. They are also important ingredients in pesticide products, toothpaste, washing powder as well as explosives and fireworks.

Freight cars caught fire after the accident (Photo: AP)

Chernobyl disaster

On April 26, 1986, the explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant's No. 4 reactor emitted a large amount of radioactive material in a large area of ​​northern Europe for 10 days and the explosion released a higher amount of radioactivity. US atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima about 400 times.

At least 31 people were killed by direct involvement in the fire.WHO said that about 9,300 people could die from cancer due to radioactive material.

However, some organizations, including Hoa Binh Xanh, think that this number is 10 times higher.Due to the explosion, nearly 800,000 hectares of farmland and 700,000 hectares of destroyed forest in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.

According to Youth

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