Authorities ask citizens to stay indoors in four towns after fire in chemical plant

The Catalan authorities asked citizens to stay indoors in four towns in the Vallès Oriental area after a fire broke out on Wednesday morning in a chemical plant. Twenty-two teams of firefighters were sent to the scene to control it.

Civil Protection activated the chemical risk alert (Plaseqcat) shortly before 9 am local time, especially in the area surrounding Can Bosquerons industrial estate, where the fire began.

Around 3:45 pm, firefighters announced that the fire at the plant had been stabilized.

Donem per ESTABILITZAT l'incendi a l'empresa de Montornès del Vallès. #PLASEQCAT
Ja hem pogut sufocar l'incendi dels dos dipòsits que cremaven i també segellar la fuita de l'altre dipòsit.@emergenciescat @mossos pic.twitter.com/NAkS8ngfT5

— Bombers (@bomberscat) December 11, 2019

Not much later, Civil Protection tweeted that the chemical risk alert was deactivated. 

#ProteccioCivil desactiva ALERTA pla #PLASEQCAT per l'incendi Montornès #fapc

— Protecció civil (@emergenciescat) December 11, 2019

Ditecsa Centre Derpin, an industrial recycling plant in Montornès del Vallès, was where the fire started, and their plant, as well as other businesses nearby, were evacuated.

Authorities recommended for citizens in Montornès del Vallès, Vilanova del Vallès, Montmeló, and Martorelles to confine themselves indoors, especially if there was smoke nearby, although this recommendation has already been withdrawn.

Black smoke spread in the region and could be seen from AP-7 highway and as far as Barcelona, some 25 km far from the fire.