Thermal camera records tank from which toxic gas leaked in Manaus with high temperature Images captured by a thermal camera reveal a fissure and high temperatures in the tank from which styrene monomer gas leaked, at the company Innova, in Manaus. The video was captured by a drone used by the Manaus city council task force that monitors the incident and helped support the decision to partially close the industrial unit, this Friday (17). (watch above). The leak in the Innova tank was recorded at 5:36 pm on Wednesday (15), following an abnormal rise in the temperature of styrene monomer, a substance used in the manufacture of plastics, synthetic rubbers and styrofoam. Exposure to the product through inhalation can cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, as well as headaches, dizziness and nausea. The video was recorded on Thursday (15) and shows the affected tank being cooled by firefighters. The surface of the compartment appears in the images with most of the surface orange, caused by high temperatures. ? Join the g1 AM channel on WhatsApp According to the data collected by the thermal camera, the temperature in the tank varied between 70°C and 74°C. According to experts, the recommended storage temperature is up to 29° C. The partial ban on Innova was adopted by the Municipal Institute of Urban Planning (Implurb), based on a technical report from the Municipal Civil Defense that pointed out the need to restrict access to the site for security reasons. With the ban, the company's activities in the affected area are suspended. Access is only permitted to technical teams involved in actions to contain the leak and eliminate risks. According to the city hall, the measure will remain in force until the competent bodies certify that the area returns to safe conditions. g1 contacted Innova, but until the publication of this report there was no response. Thermal drone identified a crack in a tank used to store toxic gas at a factory in Amazonas. Disclosure/Manaus City Hall 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. 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. As of Friday afternoon (17), the State Department of Health (SES-AM) reported that it had carried out 211 consultations related to the leak. Of the total, 209 patients were discharged, one remains hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and a 67-year-old man died after seeking medical attention. According to the ministry, no direct relationship was found between the death and the incident, as the patient had a history of chronic respiratory disease. In a statement, Innova reported that the incident was controlled in accordance with the company's emergency protocols and that all waste generated was stored for appropriate treatment. The company also stated that there was no fire, no leakage of liquid product outside the containment area, nor any record of victims. "The situation was promptly contained in accordance with the emergency procedures established by the Company," the company said. Innova also stated that there is no risk of shortages for customers and that it remains at the disposal of the authorities to provide clarifications. Gas can be considered toxic Styrene monomer, a substance that leaked from a tank at the company Innova, in Manaus, is a toxic chemical product, according to the head of the Chemistry Department at the Federal University of Amazonas (Ufam), Karime Bentes. The expert also highlighted that, under certain climatic conditions, the gas can react and form harmful compounds that spread over long distances through the air. Karime Bentes explained that styrene monomer is used in the manufacture of plastics, synthetic rubbers and expanded polystyrene (styrofoam). According to her, exposure to the product through inhalation can cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, as well as headaches, dizziness and nausea. The expert states that the product is originally liquid, but when it becomes gas, it tends to spread more easily and can reach places far from the leak point. "Styrene is a chemical product that comes in liquid form, but evaporates quickly. When it becomes a gas, it is heavier than oxygen and can spread over great distances," he said. MORE Innova was fined almost R$10 million by Manaus City Hall after technical inspections carried out by a task force formed by the Municipal Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainability (Semmas), Municipal Institute of Urban Planning (Implurb), Municipal Health Secretariat (Semsa) and Executive Secretariat for Civil Protection and Defense (Sepdec). This Friday (17), the company was fined at 35 thousand Municipal Tax Units (UFMs), the equivalent of R$5,347,300, for soil and water body pollution. The city hall identified, with the help of drones equipped with thermal cameras, cracks in part of the tank and confirmed that the leak was continuing. On Thursday (16), the city hall had already imposed another fine on the company.