An explosion at a chemical plant in northern Spain blasted a massive orange toxic cloud over five towns in Catalonia on Thursday, forcing residents to stay indoors for several hours.
The blast at the chemical plant, some 30 miles from the city of Barcelona, occurred when products being delivered to a warehouse in Igualada city became mixed together, instantly causing an explosion and setting a truck on fire, according to a spokeswoman for Catalonia's regional fire service.
While three people were left injured at the site, some 65,000 people in the surrounding communities were forced to remain confined indoors for hours, La Verdad reported.
At 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, a chemical explosion at a Simar warehouse, which distributes and stores chemicals, occurred after chemicals got mixed and led to an explosion, with a massive, billowing toxic cloud pumping out of the building.
Immediately, the chemicals engulfing the skies over the town were identified by firefighters as nitric acid vapor and ferric chloride, whose exposure can cause problems if it gets inhaled, swallowed or comes in contact with the eyes or skin.
In normal circumstances, the vapor can usually act just as an irritant, commonly affecting the eyes, throat and skin. But higher doses can cause severe burns, with prolonged exposure to the chemicals leading to breathing difficulties and eventually lung damage.
If contaminated, people are required to wear protective clothing and wash their body with soapy water before seeking emergency help from a hospital, according to Sky News.
After the giant toxic cloud surrounded the northeastern Spain region, officials ordered school and university students to remain indoors while parents were instructed to not pick them up until the cloud dissipated.
Even after the general warning had been lifted some hours later, pregnant women, children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems were told to remain indoors.
Throughout the alert, roads going in and out of Igualada, situated 40 miles northwest of Barcelona, were temporarily cordoned off while water systems of the towns were also being checked, NBC News reported.
The blast appeared to have been caused by two chemicals coming into contact during delivery to the plant, the regional government of Catalonia said in a statement,
Meanwhile, company officials were not immediately available for comment, according to UK MailOnline.
