Serbia: 2nd ammonia leak in month sickens a dozen people

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — An ammonia leak in a town outside Serbia’s capital has sickened around a dozen people and forced the evacuation of nearby homes, authorities said Friday.

The leak, the second such incident in less than a month, happened late Thursday in a factory complex in Pancevo, an industrial town northeast of Belgrade, a statement from the local prosecutor’s office said. It said a probe was underway to determine who was responsible.

Serbian media reported that the tank that leaked was parked on tracks within the industrial complex. The area remained sealed off Friday.

Ammonia is a highly flammable and toxic gas that can be dangerous for people if inhaled.

Last month, a freight train carrying ammonia derailed in eastern Serbia, releasing the gas into the air. Two people died, and the incident aroused public concern over the way dangerous materials are transported and stored.

About a dozen people sought medical attention after Thursday’s leak in Pancevo, the prosecutor’s statement said. They were sent home and are in good condition, the statement said.