LIHU‘E — Could a cloud of chemicals be headed for Hawai‘i? Explosions a week ago in the land of the rising sun has left some speculating that a cloud of depleted uranium could be heading toward Hawai‘i. One employee died
LIHU‘E — Could a cloud of chemicals be headed for Hawai‘i? Explosions a week ago in the land of the rising sun has left some speculating that a cloud of depleted uranium could be heading toward Hawai‘i.
One employee died and 21 people were injured Sunday morning when an explosion and fire rocked Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., a petrochemical company in Southeast Japan, a Mitsui press release states.
The fire began at Mitsui’s Iwakuni-Ohtake Works production facility in Waki, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The facility produces adhesives, ink and pigments, electronic and automobile parts, packaging materials, battery products, synthetic molds, varnish, laminates and solvents, among others.
According to the company, an explosion occurred at 2:15 a.m. on April 22, Earth Day, at its resorcinol (glue) plant. The fire then spread to its cymene (solvent) plant and utility piping rack. Six hours later, there was another explosion at the resorcinol plant tank. At 5:15 p.m., 15 hours later, the fire was under control at all plants, the release states.
Mitsui called the incident an “accident,” later adding that the causes are under investigation by authorities.
“There is no report of leakage of hazardous substances or materials at this time,” the release states. “Premise’s warehouses store catalyst waste, which includes radioactive material. … Storage facilities are over 500 meters from the affected area and there has been no report of changes in either containers or radiation measurements as compared with those prior to the incident.”
The 21 injured include employees and members of the community, according to Mitsui: seven Mitsui employees (two seriously), two JX Nippon employees at a nearby refinery, two “cooperating” company employees and 10 residents.
Additionally, 482 community buildings and homes were damaged, and 18 of Matsui’s 29 plants and facilities, an April 26 update states. Only two of its plants were in operation Friday.
Since April 22, approximately 300 Mitsui employees visited 6,984 families living near the facility “to apologize on behalf of the company and confirm damages. … The company continues to lend out plastic sheet coverings, arrange accommodations and undertake repair work to damaged property.”
According to Japanese media, some of the plants that exploded contained depleted uranium, which is also said to be free of hazardous levels of radiation.
A YouTube video posted Friday shows what its author claims to be a chemical cloud heading toward Hawai‘i and the west coast of the Mainland.
Hawai‘i state Civil Defense on Friday said it is not aware of any such reports.
The Department of Health could not be reached for comment.
