Major chemical spill in Catalonia, Spain

On May 10th, a fire broke out in an industrial warehouse in Catalonia, Spain, resulting in the leakage of nearly 70 tons of chlorine-containing chemicals and the release of highly toxic chlorine gas. The incident affected about 150,000 residents in five neighboring municipalities, and civil defense authorities asked residents to keep their doors and windows closed and restrict them from going outside. The fire department deployed 60 firefighters and 20 risk control officers and the fire was brought under control in the afternoon, although some vulnerable groups were asked to remain in isolation until the following day. Initial investigations suggest that the fire may have been caused by a faulty lithium battery.