Worker burned in toxic gas leak

A WORKER was burned and staff evacuated from the Total refinery at Donges in Loire-Atlantique this morning after toxic gas escaped. The SNCF rail line that runs through the site was also closed.

The gas leak happened at 3.40 this morning in a petrol-production unit and the injured worker received a chemical burn.

Total said that the leak was stopped very quickly and there was no risk to the local population or the environment from the leak of butane and hydrofluoric acic, which is highly corrosive and an acute poison. The local prefect said the leak was very light and it dissipated quickly in the atmosphere.

Donges is on the Loire near Saint-Nazaire and east of the popular holiday resorts of La Baule and Pornichet. Rail traffic on the Nantes-Le Croisic SNCF line restarted around 8.00 but the closure had caused severe disruption.