AMMAN, Jordan – A poison gas leak in Jordan’s southern port city of Aqaba on Monday killed at least 10 people and injured about 250, authorities said.
Videos from state-run media show a crane lifting a large tanker from a truck and then dropping it onto the deck of a ship, causing an explosion of yellow smoke and dock workers to run away.
The Public Security Directorate said a gas tank leaked during transit. It could not identify the contents of the tanker.
The agency said authorities have sealed off the area after evacuating the injured to hospitals and sending specialists to deal with the situation.
The directorate estimated the number of dead at 10 people and injured at 251. State-run al-Mamlaka TV said 199 people are still being treated in hospitals.
dr. Jamal Obeidat, a local health official, urged people to stay indoors and close windows and doors. The nearest residential area is about 15 miles away.
Aqaba is located at the northern tip of the Red Sea, next to the Israeli city of Eilat, which is just across the border. Both are popular beach and diving destinations. There were no reports of injuries or contamination in Eilat.
