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LAST: Police say the biggest leak has stopped and they have good control.
– The fire service has been in the area with protective gear and stopped a large propane leak from a tank, says Task Leader Arne Marcus Svendsen around 10 o’clock.
Chief of Police Operations Arne Marcus Svendsen.
Photo: Linda Pedersen / NRK
Svendsen says there is a strong propane smell coming from the fire crews that have been inside the building, and they describe that there is a lot of gas in the area.
– The situation seems better now, but we are prepared for a big explosion. We have had a large number of ambulance personnel, who have been mentally ready to enter the area in an explosion.
To stop the leak safely, the fire department is supervised by a person who normally works in the area. According to the task leader, they do not have the tools they need and have improvised using boards.
The owner contacted
It was shortly before 8.30am on Monday morning when police received a report of a large gas leak from an industrial building in Finnfjordbotn near Finnsnes in Senja municipality.
– We are talking about 4000 liters of propane. It is a very explosive substance, so the fire department has decided to evacuate people and establish a safety zone of 1000 meters.
Here’s what Operations Director Beate Helberg in the Troms Police District told NRK shortly after eight thirty.
Svendsen explains that the two propane tanks that have been involved in the leak are underground, but that the leak itself was caused by a “fill valve.” This is above ground.
It was the owner of the building in question who personally contacted the police earlier today.
Police have asked people in the area to avoid using fire.
– No injuries have been reported, say the police.
There is a propane gas leak from an industrial building in Finnfjordbotn near Finnsnes in the municipality of Senja.
Unfortunate wind direction
On-site police task leader Arne Marcus Svendsen says propane is a gas that is heavier than air and follows the ground. It presents challenges.
– We have a slightly unfortunate wind direction. It is to the west and therefore the gas travels up into a residential area. The first police patrol in the place today evacuated between 15 and 20 homes.
Svendsen says the leak is serious for surrounding areas and has great potential for damage in the event of an explosion. Therefore, they ask for help from the people in the surrounding residential areas to evacuate them.
Residents in the area less than 1,000 meters from the Finnfjord Smelter are asked to evacuate. We work with evacuation, but those who have not been evacuated in the area in front of Sørreisa are asked to go that way, says Svendsen.
The industrial building that has had a gas leak is located on the right side of the road, next to the fir trees to the right of the image.
Photo: TIPS / NRK
County road closed
Various emergency services resources have arrived at the industrial building in Finnfjordbotn by Finnsnes in Senja municipality, and more are on their way to the area.
According to the police, it is a small industrial building located very close to the Finnfjord smelter. There is also an upper secondary school nearby, but Helberg says it shouldn’t be affected by the evacuation.
– We are working on the evacuation of the corresponding industrial zone and nearby houses, says Helberg.
Provincial road 86 between the municipal centers of Finnsnes in Senja municipality and Sørreisa in Sørreisa municipality passes directly over the corresponding industrial building. This road is now closed.
Employees evacuated – production continues
Geir Henning Wintervoll, CEO of Finnfjord AS is one of 20 administration employees who were evacuated from the administration building earlier today.
Finnfjord AS is a producer of Ferrosilicon, Silica in Electric Power.
He says his employees in the production room keep the production going, but stay indoors.
– We have quite important processes underway with us, so it is difficult and dangerous to close. We consider that it is safe to run the production, because it depends on the building in question.
Wintervoll also adds that its facilities are upwind and that it secures the work.
Several houses in the area have been evacuated as a result of the gas leak in Finnfjordbotn.
Photo: Linda Pedersen / NRK
VGS not evacuated
Senja Upper Secondary School is located near the evacuation area, but has not yet been evacuated.
– We are waiting for a message from the police, says director Stein Erik Svendsen.
– But the safest thing is to stay inside, he adds.
The Senja municipality management is closely monitoring the situation.
– The police are leading the operation. Right now the situation is confusing. We have nothing more to say now, says Senja Municipality Mayor Tom Rune Elisseussen.
