In the morning of Sept 15th, at Phu My Fertilizer Plant, a subsidiary of PetroVietnam Fertilizer and Chemical Corporation (PVFCCo), a drill on response to fire and explosion and a radiation incident was held at two exchangers named 20- E-1005A and 20-E-1001 of Urea unit.
Among the attendants, there were, on behalf of BRVT People”s Committee, Mr. Dang Minh Thong – Chairman of the People”s Committee – Head of the Steering Board on Response to Radiation Incidents in BRVT; on behalf of BRVT Public Security, Colonel Bui Van Thao – Deputy Director of BRVT Public Security; on behalf BRVT Fire Brigade, Colonel Nguyen Van Hoa and Colonel Hoang Van Thu – Deputy Directors of BRVT Fire and Rescue Police Department; on behalf of Petrovietnam, Mr. Le Hong Thai – Head of Health and Environment Safety Division ; and, on behalf of PVFCCo Headquarter, Mr. Hoang Viet Dung – Vice President – Vice Head of the Standing Committee, Emergency Response and Rescue Department, as well as leaders of BRVT Departments of Science and Technology, Department of Industry and Trade, Department of Health, Department of Information and Communication, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, and Military Headquarter of BRVT.
The purpose of the drill is to ensure plant safety and security for stable operation. This is also a top priority to the Management of Phu My Fertilizer Plant in particular and BOD of PetroVietnam Fertilizer and Chemical Corporation in general. This is because Phu My Fertilizer Plant is not only a major fertilizer producer but also a chemical plant that always functions at 100% of its designed capacity under high temperature and pressure conditions with constant fire and explosion risks, so environmental and habitat hazards that can arise at any time.
There are two assumed scenarios in the drill. The first scenario is a fire occurring at 20E1005A flange due to Ammonia leakage with potential risk of quickly spreading to the adjacent pipeline equipment and there was 01 victim with leg injury. The second scenario is that there is a device that contained Cs 137, a radioactive source, spilled from 20 E1001 unit onto concrete floor, the metal rod holding radioactive source is damaged, and there is a risk that radiation may spread to the environment and cause contamination. It is impossible to isolate the source; radiation level exceeds the capacity of Incident Response Team of the Plant (Plant IRT), and 5 people are exposed to radiation (including 3 fire fighters and 2 operators of Urea Unit).
The drill went on very successfully and the staff of Phu My Fertilizer Plant, especially Plant IRT, was highly commended for their professionalism and smooth coordination with external fire-fighting forces
Below are some photos of the Drill:
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