Dangerous Chlorine Cylinders Go Missing In Hat Yai

[webfact]

AFTERMATH

Dangerous chlorine cylinders go missing in Hat Yai

By The Nation

Hat Yai Waterworks Office yesterday called on people to help locate dozens of cylinders filled with chlorine that went missing during recent floods.

The yellow cylinders, bearing the skull and crossbones sign, contain “toxic liquid chlorine”.

“It’s extremely dangerous. Don’t open the valve,” the office’s manager Thirapol Kongpanya warned, adding that strong currents of floodwaters had swept away 56 such cylinders on November 2. The office issued a public warning about them the very next day.

“So far, we only retrieved 20 of them,” Thirapol said, adding that he was worried the cylinders might have been sold for scrap metal.

“If the cylinders are cut open, they may explode. If someone tries to open the valve, they might get seriously injured or even killed,” Thirapol warned, adding that people should not handle these cylinders if they find any.

He said pure chlorine was very dangerous and could be used to assemble bombs or create chemical weapons. Thirapol went on to explain that the possession of liquid chlorine was against the law.

People are encouraged to contact the Hat Yai Waterworks Office round the clock at (089) 467 7231 or (081) 599 7273 should they catch sight of the cylinders.

According to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, floods are now affecting 1.83 million people in 21 provinces, with the death toll now standing at 206.

“Flood victims can call 1784 to seek help round the clock,” the department said, adding that rehabilitation work has already started in 30 provinces including Phitsanulok, Nakhon Ratchasima, Angthong, Nakhon Sawan, Yala, Krabi and Ranong.

-- The Nation 2010-11-13

[bushwacker]

"He said pure chlorine was very dangerous and could be used to assemble bombs or create chemical weapons."

NOT A VERY GOOD THING TO TELL EVERYBODY

Now for sure you will have all kinds of wierdos helping to look for the cylinders.

[PhilHarries]

Good to see how well Thailand secures it's stocks of dangerous chemicals.

Luckily uranium fuel rods are unlikely to float away on the floods, in the back of pick up trucks maybe.

[haveaniceday]

Arh Thailand, so dangerous he says, who is lookng after them,,,,, yet just left laying around.

ting tong

[Soi Sauce]

Might've been used at the time to disinfect the swimming pool that was Hat Yai.

Maybe a quick-thinking citizen deserves praise.

Edited November 13, 2010 by Soi Sauce

[Garry]

It doesn't say exactly what type of chlorine it is. If is a fluoride type then it would be especially dangerous to human health as they are TOXIC and may be fatal if inhaled or absorbed through skin. Some Chlorine's are explosive in content as well, some being and Oxidiser, which may explode from friction, heat or contamination. These are specalist response and clean up scenarios.

[scorpio2369]

I can see these chlorine cylinders winding up in the wrong hands. Especially in the hands of someone who wants to create bombs and chemical weapons out of the chlorine gas (Train stations?). But my question is, where are they? These cylinders do not float and must most likely roll to go any where. From the picture, no chains around the bottles (first problem) and when was the last time that the inventory was checked. Has any one checked the rivers nearby to see if they are on the bottom just waiting for a boat to run over it?

[hungryhippo]

But my question is, where are they?

If they knew that there wouldn't be a story about them missing.

[Buchholz]

Most missing chlorine tanks found

After news that some 60 cylinders full of chlorine were washed away the Hat Yai Waterworks Office during recent floods, office manager Thirapol Kongpanya yesterday reported that most cylinders had been retrieved.

Thirapol said that, as of yesterday afternoon, only 10-12 out of the 58 previously missing cylinders remained unaccounted for, thanks to local residents, who promptly helped waterworks officials to locate most of the missing cylinders, which had been swept away by flood torrents.

Thirapol filed a notice about the missing cylinders to police in case scavengers or people with ill-intentions get hold of them and try to improperly cut open the high-pressure tanks, which, although “used”, contain some “toxic liquid chlorine”.

Pure chlorine was dangerous and could be used to make bombs or chemical weapons, hence possession of liquid chlorine was against the law, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-11-14

[surangw]

"He said pure chlorine was very dangerous and could be used to assemble bombs or create chemical weapons."

NOT A VERY GOOD THING TO TELL EVERYBODY

Now for sure you will have all kinds of wierdos helping to look for the cylinders.

bomb makers would probably do more damage with easily obtainable propane tanks

[asiawatcher]

It doesn't say exactly what type of chlorine it is. If is a fluoride type then it would be especially dangerous to human health as they are TOXIC and may be fatal if inhaled or absorbed through skin. Some Chlorine's are explosive in content as well, some being and Oxidiser, which may explode from friction, heat or contamination. These are specalist response and clean up scenarios.

Chlorine and bleach are the easiest 'chemicals' to get hold of and... make bombs from. The fact they are in the southern district and now missing cannot be blamed on floods (why are the remainder there?) so I would think blind Freddy could add 2 and 2 together and figure out the consequences of this.

[tomahawk]

In US, I worked as counter-terrorism consultant and attended many meetings and seminars regarding possible terrorist threats. One of the most likely and also potentially most dangerous involving exploding chlorine gas tankers. As a result, announcemets were sent out by homeland security to anyone manufacturing, storing or transporting chlorine to secure their supply and create a constant and accurate inventory. Now it seems here that chlorine is unsecured and just floats away in the water. This is in an area with constant terrorist attacks. Hopefully publicizing this incident will prompt government to address this problem. Very scary, as are the future proposed nuclear electric plants.

[whybother]

It doesn't say exactly what type of chlorine it is. If is a fluoride type then it would be especially dangerous to human health as they are TOXIC and may be fatal if inhaled or absorbed through skin. Some Chlorine's are explosive in content as well, some being and Oxidiser, which may explode from friction, heat or contamination. These are specalist response and clean up scenarios.

Chlorine and bleach are the easiest 'chemicals' to get hold of and... make bombs from. The fact they are in the southern district and now missing cannot be blamed on floods (why are the remainder there?) so I would think blind Freddy could add 2 and 2 together and figure out the consequences of this.

I think blind freddy just added 2 and 2 and got 5.

They were at a water works. Chlorine is widely used at water works. They were empty. Empty canisters could quite easily float away in floods. The full ones, which would be considerably heavier, would not easily wash away.

[ianbaggie]

"He said pure chlorine was very dangerous and could be used to assemble bombs or create chemical weapons."

NOT A VERY GOOD THING TO TELL EVERYBODY

Now for sure you will have all kinds of wierdos helping to look for the cylinders.

bomb makers would probably do more damage with easily obtainable propane tanks

RUBBISH!!!! Chlorine is one of the most TOXIC gases known to man in its pure state - THATS why it was used in the first world war!!! Let off in a place like Rachaprasng it would be devastating which is what certain parties no doubt took it for (dont tell me many of you didnt think the same)!!

[whybother]

"He said pure chlorine was very dangerous and could be used to assemble bombs or create chemical weapons."

NOT A VERY GOOD THING TO TELL EVERYBODY

Now for sure you will have all kinds of wierdos helping to look for the cylinders.

bomb makers would probably do more damage with easily obtainable propane tanks

RUBBISH!!!! Chlorine is one of the most TOXIC gases known to man in its pure state - THATS why it was used in the first world war!!! Let off in a place like Rachaprasng it would be devastating which is what certain parties no doubt took it for (dont tell me many of you didnt think the same)!!

I think you will find that they were empty and they washed away in floods. No one "took" them.

[aussiejosh]

"He said pure chlorine was very dangerous and could be used to assemble bombs or create chemical weapons."

NOT A VERY GOOD THING TO TELL EVERYBODY

Now for sure you will have all kinds of wierdos helping to look for the cylinders.

He should have added it is valuable to terrorists and such to make it a little more obvious.