Fredericia fire was an environmental disaster

Thousands of tonnes of liquid fertiliser spilled into the Danish nature

The huge silo explosion and fire that led to a lockdown of Fredericia earlier this month has been deemed an environmental disaster.

South Jutland Police contends that several thousand tonnes of liquid fertiliser were released into Danish nature during the fire at Fredericia Port.

“Several thousand tonnes of liquid fertiliser were released, some of which were picked up again in the port,” Peter Balsgaard Nielsen, a deputy police inspector from South Jutland Police, told Metroxpress newspaper.

“The silo that contained the liquid fertiliser broke down due to unknown circumstances and the fertiliser burst out into the surroundings with great power. During the incident, nearby silos were damaged and palm oil spilled out, which then caught fire.”

READ MORE: Emergency warning issued to residents of Fredericia by South Jutland Police

Contentious package
The silo containing the fertiliser had a capacity of 10,000 tonnes, and the conservation society Danmarks Naturfredningsforening (DNF) laments the seriousness of the case.

“This is an environmental disaster,” said Lisbet Ogstrup, a senior advisor with DNF.

“I don’t recollect hearing about one single case where more has been released. We risk having oxygen deprivation in the area and dead fish.”

Ogstrup also complained that the timing was poor given the contentious agriculture package proposed by the Food and Agriculture Ministry that stands to allow an increase in nitrogen emissions in the future.

That package, which is one of the central issues behind the food and agriculture minister Eva Kjer Hansen being under fire at the moment, is expected to be agreed upon today.

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