In Germany, a toxic cloud of smoke covered the entire city after an emergency at a chemical plant Sky (3 photos + 1 video)
Category: Fires and Catastrophes, PEGI 0+
9 October 2025
A metal part accidentally fell into a tank of nitric acid, which was enough to trigger a violent chemical reaction. There are injuries. 
A serious accident occurred at the Schnarr Oberflächentechnik galvanizing plant in Mainaschaff, Bavaria, Germany, on the evening of October 7: a metal part accidentally fell into a tank containing 6,000 liters of nitric acid, causing a violent chemical reaction and the release of a thick, toxic, yellow-orange cloud into the atmosphere.
Four plant employees sustained minor injuries as a result of the emergency. Smoke spread over residential areas, and the city of Aschaffenburg, located nearby, was forced to urgently warn residents of the possible danger, recommending that they remain indoors, keep windows closed, and turn off ventilation and air conditioning systems.
More than 250 rescuers, emergency services, and police officers, including specialists with hazardous material disposal equipment, worked quickly at the scene. Firefighters managed to cool the tank and stop the smoke emission two hours after the accident; firefighters recorded the dissipation of the smoke cloud, and independent measurements showed no exceedance of the maximum permissible concentration within a five-kilometer radius. Restrictions for the public were gradually lifted.
Experts have not yet identified the exact cause of the part's fall into the acid; competent authorities are investigating. Authorities noted that similar major incidents have never occurred at the plant, which has been operating since the late 1950s. The plant is continuing to monitor air quality and investigate the consequences of the accident to rule out long-term environmental risks to nearby communities.
