Explosive stop: illegal ammonium nitrate in the Murtal secured!

Explosive stop: illegal ammonium nitrate in the Murtal secured!

in St. Peter Obenburg there was a dangerous incident on the holiday: The police stopped a Slovak truck that is called over 23 tons and liquid Ammonium nitrate transported. This chemical, which is widespread in the fertilizer and the explosive industry, is one of the highly explosive fabrics and is known for its dangers during transport. However, the tank that was used for the transported fabric was not approved and showed defects, including defective compressed air hoses. The situation was all the more critical, since the Risks when transporting ammonium nitrate, especially with a fire and unsafe storage, well documented are.

The 51-year-old truck driver, who was responsible for transport, immediately carried out repairs on site. Nevertheless, the onward journey was prohibited for security reasons. In view of the high temperatures that prevailed in the transport of the ammonium nitrate - the material has a melting point of 169 ° C and a decomposition temperature of 210 ° C - immediate action was required. The responsible authorities were immediately informed of organizing the transfer of the tank container under police supervision and unloading the critical substance in good time before cooling and thus another security risk could arise. Both the driver and those responsible for the transport company must now expect legal consequences.

special risks and security standards

Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound (NH4NO3) that is not directly flammable, but can accelerate the combustion of other materials. With an uncontrolled combustion, toxic substances such as nitrogen oxides and ammonia arise. Compliance with international security standards, in particular the IMDG-CODES is crucial to minimize and ensure the security of all those involved. Such regulations state that ammonium nitrate can usually only be stored on the deck of ships, with strict exceptions.

Therefore, awareness of the risks when transporting ammonium nitrate is of essential importance. The International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (Ichca) has recognized this and created corresponding guidelines to educate about fire risks and thus prevent potential disasters.

The incident in St. Peter Ob Judenburg makes it clear that the highest caution is always required in terms of transport of dangerous goods. The authorities not only had to intervene in order to avert an immediate danger, but also take measures to ensure that such transports will be carried out more safely in the future.