AMMAN, June 27 (KUNA) -- Ten people were killed and 234 others injured in the Aqaba Port after a crane malfunction caused the drop of a gas tank, which made a huge blast, Jordanian Public Security Directorate (PSD) said Monday.
According to government spokesman Faisal Al-Shabul, Jordan Prime Minister Besher Al-Khasawna headed to Al-Aqaba city.
The explosion happened when the crane tried to place the gas tank on a ship; nonetheless, it failed to move it all the way and dropped it midway, causing a major explosion and a leakage of poisonous gas, as footage from the site show.
The PSD said that the Civil Defence Department (CDD) sent specialized teams to contain the explosion and the leakage.
Jordan's National Center for Security and Crisis Management (NCSCM) urged citizens of Aqaba not to gather in front of hospitals to facilitate the work of paramedics to deal with the case of toxic gas leakage. (end) ab.mb