Calenzano explosion: an inspection to assess environmental risks
Immediately after the explosion, ARPA Toscana was summoned to participate in the Rescue Coordination Center (CCS) together with other bodies and law enforcement agencies. The agency’s technicians carried out an inspection of the accident area for evaluate environmental risks And coordinate emergency operations.
The fire lasted less than an hour and, fortunately, it did not affect the depot’s tank farmlimiting the potential danger of further explosions. The first readings from the nearest weather station, located near the Casa Passerini landfill, provided essential information on the dispersion of fumes into the atmosphere.
Dispersion of fumes
From the data collected it emerged that the smoke generated by the fire rose at a rate altitude between 100 and 200 meters above the groundand then disperse thanks to the presence of winds with a North-North East direction towards South-South West, with an estimated speed between 9 and 10 knots.
The short duration of the fire and the rapid dispersion of the smoke at high altitude allowed for consider concentrations of pollutants at ground level to be negligible. Therefore, it was not necessary to take soil samples for further analysis.
At the time of the accident, the Civil Protection he advised the population not to approach the place affected by the fire and to find shelter in an enclosed place. Within a 5km radius of the plant the message from the It-Alert national alert system. This is the first time this tool has been used in a real case.
Wastewater treatment problems
During the inspection, ARPA technicians detected a dysfunction in wastewater treatment plant of the ENI deposit. The excessive accumulation of water used to put out the fire caused an untreated spill into the Tomarello ditch. This spill mainly contained foam products used to put out the flames, while hydrocarbon residues were assessed as limited.
To mitigate the environmental impact, ENI was asked to stop the spill and divert the residual water to the internal tanks of the deposit. Furthermore, in agreement with the Reclamation Consortium 3 Medio Valdarno, the bulkhead of the reclamation collector that collects the Tomarello ditch was closed, thus limiting the flow into the Bisenzio and Arno rivers.
Calenzano fire: cleanup and restoration operations
ENI has appointed the specialized company Labromare to execute remediation interventions And restore the correct functioning of the purification plant. ARPA Toscana will continue to monitor water management activities in the coming days, ensuring that the measures adopted are adequate to prevent further environmental impacts.
Investigations underway
Considering the nature of the ENI plant, classified as site at risk of major accident pursuant to Seveso legislation, investigations are underway by the competent authorities for ascertain the causes of the accident. The goal is to establish any responsibilities and locate preventive measures to avoid similar incidents in the future.
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