MANAUS, BRAZIL — Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras identified cracks in the tank leaking styrene monomer and confirmed that gas has continued to be released into the atmosphere for more than 40 hours after the incident. The Manaus city government on Friday fined and partially shut down Innova's facility in the Manaus Industrial Pole.

The leak was first detected at 5:36 p.m. on Wednesday after an abnormal rise in the temperature of styrene monomer, a chemical used in the production of plastics, synthetic rubber and expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam. Exposure to the substance through inhalation may cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, as well as headaches, dizziness and nausea.

One of the images captured by a drone's thermal camera shows the tank at elevated temperatures while firefighters carried out cooling operations. The equipment is part of the municipal task force that has monitored the emergency since the leak began.

The partial shutdown of the Innova plant was ordered by the Municipal Institute of Urban Planning (Implurb) based on a technical report issued by the Municipal Civil Defense, which concluded that access to the area should be restricted for safety reasons.

Under the order, the company's operations in the affected area have been suspended. Access is limited to technical teams involved in containing the leak and eliminating potential hazards.

According to the city government, the restriction will remain in effect until the relevant authorities certify that the area has returned to safe conditions. The strong odor of the chemical was detected in neighborhoods near the Industrial District, prompting the immediate evacuation of a shopping mall located close to the factory.

Amazon Agency