More than 400 people go to hospital after gas leak in Manaus Teams from the Amazonas Fire Department (CBMAM) continue to cool, this Sunday (19), the styrene monomer storage tank where the gas leak considered toxic occurred at the Innova factory, in the Industrial District, South Zone of Manaus. The operation continues more than 86 hours after the incident began. The leak was recorded at 5:36 pm on Wednesday (15), at Innova's Unit IV, after the styrene monomer stored in the reservoir showed an abnormal increase in temperature. The company classified the occurrence as a "chemical emergency" and reported that it activated internal safety protocols. For safety, the isolation perimeter of approximately 300 meters around the company remains maintained. Firefighters continue to use laser equipment to monitor the internal temperature of the tank while cooling the external part. The teams also perform internal gas suction. On Sunday (19), firefighters continue to cool the tank where a gas leak occurred in Manaus Jadson Lima/g1 AM Manaus City Hall reported that a drone equipped with thermal cameras identified a fissure in the tank's containment basin and verified that the leak was continuing. After the inspection, the Municipal Institute of Urban Planning (Implurb) partially closed the industrial unit. Innova was fined more than R$22.4 million. The City Hall imposed two fines, totaling around R$9.9 million, for air, soil and water pollution. The Amazonas Environmental Protection Institute (Ipaam) fined the company R$ 12.5 million for violating environmental legislation due to the air pollution caused by the incident. According to the State Department of Health of Amazonas (SES-AM), 213 people received care related to the incident in units within the state network. The last update occurred on Saturday afternoon (18), when the department reported that a patient who was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was transferred to the ward. On Friday (17), the superintendent of the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE) in Amazonas, Francinete Lima, informed g1 that Innova maintained production at the factory uninterruptedly for at least 48 hours after the leak to empty the tank where the incident occurred. According to her, the company informed the agency that the product stored in the damaged reservoir continued to be used in the production process to speed up the emptying of the structure. Residents and workers reported symptoms Residents and workers who live or work near the company Innova reported to g1, on Friday night (17), that they felt unwell after the styrene monomer leak recorded on Wednesday (15). Among the symptoms cited are nausea, headache, eye irritation, tightness in the throat, shortness of breath and diarrhea. Housekeeper Rosivete Ferreira, 63, said she began to feel the first symptoms on Thursday morning (16), hours after the leak. She stated that the strong odor of the substance continues to be perceived in the region. "I felt nauseous, very sick, a tightness in my throat and a headache. My eye felt like it was full of pepper, burning really bad", he reported. A resident of an area close to the leak site, she stated that she did not seek medical attention and said that she kept her house closed for part of the day because of the smell. Truck helper Luiz Ferreira, who works at a company located near Innova, also stated that he had shown symptoms after the leak. He also reported that co-workers felt ill during working hours, but activities were not interrupted. "People started running to the bathroom. When I got home I also felt sick. I had a headache and diarrhea," he said. The reports made to g1 describe symptoms compatible with the effects of exposure to styrene monomer pointed out by the head of the Chemistry Department at the Federal University of Amazonas (Ufam), Karime Bentes. According to the expert, the substance is toxic and inhalation can cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, as well as headaches, dizziness and nausea. The researcher further explained that styrene is stored in liquid form, but it evaporates quickly and, when it becomes a gas, it can spread over great distances. She also warned that, depending on the concentration of the substance in the atmosphere, rain can react with the product and form harmful compounds and liquid styrene, increasing the risk of environmental contamination. The incident The styrene monomer leak was recorded at 5:36 pm on Wednesday, at Innova Unit IV. The strong odor of the chemical was noticed in neighborhoods close to the Industrial District and led to the immediate evacuation of a shopping mall located close to the company. Styrene monomer is used in the manufacture of plastics, synthetic rubbers and expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam). According to experts, exposure to the product through inhalation can cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, as well as headache, dizziness and nausea. Since the incident, teams from the Amazonas Military Fire Department (CBMAM) have been working to cool the tank to control the temperature and avoid new risks. The main hypothesis investigated by the corporation is a spontaneous reaction inside the structure. Toxic gas leak in Manaus has already left 414 people injured and warns of environmental damage reproduction JN