Achema
Achema is the largest fertilizer producer in the Baltic states. It is located in the city of Jonava in central Lithuania. Achema employs about 1700 workers. The factory construction began in 1962 as one of the state-owned enterprises of the Lithuanian SSR.
Environmental catastrophe
An explosion occurred in the chemical fertilizers factory on 20 March 1989, causing a leak of nearly 7,500 tonnes of liquid ammonia. The catastrophe developed further into a fire of and fertilizers storehouses polluting the atmosphere with products of their decomposition: nitrous oxide, chlorine gas, etc. The toxic cloud moved towards Ukmergė, Širvintos, Kėdainiai. The concentration of ammonia surpassed the permissible level 150 times in Upninkai, located 10 km from the enterprise. One day after the accident, a toxic cloud 7 km wide and 50 km long was recorded between Jonava and Kėdainiai. Seven persons died during the fire and leakage of ammonia, 29 became handicapped, and more people suffered from acute respiratory and cardiac attacks.
Coordinates: 55°5′7″N 24°19′50″E / 55.08528°N 24.33056°E
Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achema
