Chemical accident in Roth: 200 emergency services alerted to nitric acid leak!

Chemical accident in Roth: 200 emergency services alerted to nitric acid leak!

In the early morning of June 17, 2025, a chemical incident occurred in Roth that kept the emergency services on their toes. At around 4 a.m., a forklift driver was injured when he damaged a chemical container while working at the pharmaceutical company Nutrichem. As a result of this unfortunate incident, a dangerous amount of nitric acid was released. Around 200 emergency services, including the fire department, rescue service and police, arrived to bring the situation under control. The local fire brigade ensured that there was no danger to the population at any time, as inFranken reports.

The situation caused great excitement in advance. The entire production site was evacuated and the emergency services wore protective suits and breathing masks to protect themselves against the dangerous fumes. The fire brigade's measures were varied: the acid was bound with special binding agents, poured into a new chemical container and finally diluted with water outdoors. The first disposal by a specialist company was planned for the next day, June 18th.

No danger to residents

Fortunately, the all-clear was quickly given. The responsible authorities emphasized that there was never a risk to the surrounding population. The situation was classified below the disaster threshold, meaning ongoing monitoring measures were ensured by the fire brigade, including at night. The company spokeswoman expressed regret about the incident, but emphasized that the security processes worked well. Another aspect of the incident was that the situation meant that the morning shift could not be started, which had additional consequences for the employees.

Another recent incident of a similar nature occurred at a dairy plant in Zapfendorf, where nitric acid also leaked from a tank. Around 100 liters of the corrosive chemical were released here, which resulted in minor injuries to three people. Here too, the operations management saw a comprehensive danger situation and placed the operation under particularly high security precautions. As BR reported, the impending danger was quickly under control.

Safety precautions and prevention

Such incidents show how important preventive measures and adequate safety precautions are. According to legislation, it had to be taken into account during planning that appropriate emergency plans were drawn up in companies in order to be able to react quickly to unforeseen events. The importance of personal protective equipment and rapid intervention to prevent further outbreaks of uncontrolled vapors are crucial, as Chemiesicherheit explains.

In summary, the incident in Roth and the one just experienced in Zapfendorf clearly show what challenges those responsible can face in the chemical industry and how well-trained emergency services can quickly contribute to dealing with the danger with appropriate measures. It remains to be hoped that such events will continue to be comprehensively analyzed in the future in order to close any security gaps.