Explosion at MOL Plant in Tiszaújváros Leaves One Dead

An explosion occurred at the MOL petrochemical plant in Tiszaújváros, northern Hungary, resulting in one fatality and several serious injuries, Péter Magyar announced on his Facebook page at around 9:30 a.m. Friday. István Kapitány, Minister for Economy and Energy, is on the way to the site together with Zsolt Hernádi, Chairman and CEO of MOL. In a separate statement, the prime minister confirmed that a total of seven people were injured in addition to the fatality.

A mobile laboratory of the disaster management authority has arrived at the scene and is conducting measurements, the prime minister said.

So far, no concentrations of hazardous substances exceeding regulatory thresholds have been detected.

Péter Magyar also reported that a flare-like combustion is currently ongoing at the damaged pipeline. Further information is expected from István Kapitány and Zsolt Hernádi, who are due to arrive at the site shortly, he added.

“We express our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased and wish a speedy recovery to the injured,” the head of government stated.

In a Facebook post, Tiszaújváros Krónika informed residents that, according to the local disaster management authority, the explosion does not pose a threat to the surrounding population. Photographs attached to the post show dense black smoke rising from the facility.

Kapitány also confirmed that the mobile disaster management laboratory has not detected any hazardous substance concentrations above permissible limits at the site.

As MOL writes,

the incident occurred during the restart of the Olefin 1 unit at its Tiszaújváros petrochemical complex.

The company confirmed that one employee died in the accident and stated that the MOL Group is treating the deceased as its own fallen colleague. “On behalf of the MOL Group, we express our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased,” the company said.

The company added that several individuals sustained serious injuries, and the circumstances of the accident are currently under investigation by experts.

Pál Győrfi, spokesperson for the National Ambulance Service, stated at around 10 a.m. that medical treatment of the injured is ongoing. He added that

emergency services responded under mass casualty protocols, with three air ambulances and numerous ground units deployed to the scene.

Dávid Dolcsák, spokesperson for disaster management in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, announced shortly after 11 a.m. that the fire has been extinguished and that only post-incident operations are currently ongoing.

President Tamás Sulyok responded to the tragedy in a Facebook post, expressing his condolences to the family of the deceased: “I was deeply shocked to learn of the explosion that occurred at the MOL plant in Tiszaújváros. My sincere condolences to the family of the deceased, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”

Former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also expressed his condolences, stating: “My sincere condolences to the family of the victim who lost their life in the Tiszaújváros explosion, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery.”

Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Vajda János