A chemical plant located on the outskirts of the French city of Rouen (northwest) suffered a spectacular fire without casualties on the night of Wednesday to Thursday that led authorities to order the closure of all schools and to ask the population to stay in their homes.
The Prefecture (Government delegation) recommended, in a message posted on his web page to the people that are in a radius of 500 metres around the factory Lubrizol, which makes additives for lubricants, don't leave their homes "by measure of prudence".
Also decided to remain closed during all-day schools, colleges and high schools of Rouen and the other eleven municipalities of their environment. The prefect, Pierre-André Durand, pointed out that, in accordance with the first analysis, the thick column of smoke that remained visible for miles around, at 8.30 local, six hours after the start of the fire, does not present an "acute toxicity".
The mayor of Rouen, Yvon Robert, he pointed out, in statements to the radio station "France Info", that in the first hour of the morning had between 150 and 200 firefighters who worked to extinguish the fire, to which they had to add reinforcements, arrived in particular in the region of Paris.
During the morning, the neighbors were able to hear a variety of explosions, which is due to the explosion deposits of hydrocarbons. As a precaution, we cut off the traffic in both directions on the motorway A150, which connects Rouen and Yvetot, to the height of Canteleu.
Date Of Update: 26 September 2019, 18:02
