OVER 3,000 workers from 150 companies have been evacuated and schools shut down following a dramatic chemical plant explosion in Paterna, near Valencia.
The conflagration happened early this morning (Wednesday) at the Indukern factory on the Fuente del Jarro industrial estate whilst an employee was working with acetone, the main ingredient in nail-polish remover and extremely flammable.
As well as all the companies on the industrial park, six other warehouses belonging to TMD Friction, Picken Gourmet, Productos Caselli and others have been evacuated.
The worker in question, aged 27, was rushed to Valencia's La Fe hospital with second-degree burns, but has since been discharged.
Another two people aged 27 and 28 were taken to La Fe to be treated for smoke inhalation, but are also now out of hospital.
They had been inside their car opposite the public swimming pool in neighbouring Burjassot when they called for help as they were 'not feeling very well'.
All other employees on the Indukern premises at the time of the blast are said to be safe and well.
Despite flames of 40 to 50 metres in height fanned by high winds, an acetone fire does not produce toxic smoke, so chemical poisoning is not an issue, but the huge quantity of smoke in general means a major health risk for the population.
Firefighters managed to contain the fire by around 11.40 this morning, but are still fighting to bring it under control and put it out.
Head of the fire brigade, José Miguel Basset says the magnitude of the inferno is so great that he has 'rarely seen anything like it'.
Numerous explosions were heard inside the warehouse, and firefighters had a lucky escape when one of the chemical tanks was sent flying from the building and smashed into a fire engine, but did not ignite.
Paterna residents have been urged to stay indoors with their windows and doors shut, and a tunnel leading to the industrial estate has been closed.
The metro service between Paterna and Canyada has been suspended as a precaution, and all schools in the Canyada area as well as Paterna's Jaume I, Sanchís Guarner, Peset Alexandre, El Molí and Henri Matisse schools have been shut.
Parents unable to collect their children at once because they were at work were told the pupils would be kept confined inside until they were able to do so, and nobody would be allowed into the playground.
Even the drainage network was blocked to prevent residue from the fire getting into the sewage plant, where water is treated and 'recycled'.
Electricity has been switched off to prevent the grid becoming damaged by flames, and mains gas has been turned off due to the risk of another explosion.
Other schools in the L'Horta district, around the edges of Valencia city, kept children inside at breaktimes today whilst some, including those in Manises next door to Valencia airport, closed down altogether.
In nearby Mislata, the mayor announced at lunchtime that the playgrounds should not be used for the time being, and those in Quart de Poblet kept pupils indoors at the recommendation of the Civil Protection squad, but the town's air-quality reader found no pollutants to cause concern.
Later in the afternoon, Paterna residents were told they were able to leave their homes if they needed to, but the advice to stay indoors unless absolutely unavoidable remains.
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