As of: February 29, 2024, 10:28 a.m
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A residential building was destroyed by a gas explosion.
© Thomas Frey/dpa
The complex operation following the gas leak accident in Hadamar continues.
The emergency services have to make sure that the gas tank is now tight, then measurements can begin in the houses in the area.
Hadamar - After the leak in a gas tank, preparations for measurements in the houses within the safety radius are still in full swing.
It is still unclear when exactly the measurements can start, Mayor Michael Ruoff (CDU) told the German Press Agency on Thursday.
The exit point on the tank has been sealed, but further work is still ongoing.
As a city spokeswoman explained, the entire tank is frozen.
Because it was worked on with a wooden hammer and other tools during attempts to de-ice the exit point, it is unclear whether the tank might have broken.
The emergency services first wanted to ensure that no more gas escaped from the container before people could return to their homes.
In addition, not all those affected who live within a safety radius of 400 meters around the gas tank had handed in their keys that morning.
Accompanied by police officers, emergency services wanted to go into the houses to measure whether there was gas, especially in cellars, sewers and other low-lying places.
Propane is heavier than air and can therefore accumulate in such places and become a risk of explosion.
Most of those affected were staying with relatives or friends, had to come to Hadamar to hand over the keys and combined this with going to work, said the city spokeswoman.
It is also already foreseeable that some houses will have to be opened because residents are on vacation or the houses are empty, said the spokeswoman.
On Tuesday night in Niederzeuzheim, a man was seriously injured in an explosion and the collapse of a single-family home as a result of the gas leak.
The house, of which only a pile of rubble remained, according to the fire brigade, was around 120 meters away from the tank.
According to the police, specialists from the State Criminal Police Office will inspect the collapse site to clarify the exact cause of the explosion.
The man was seriously but not life-threateningly injured.
The leak in the gas tank was reported on Monday morning and was probably caused by maintenance and repair work.
dpa