Jordan port workers strike as officials sacked over deadly gas leak

• Port workers in Jordan’s Red Sea port of Aqaba go on strike over toxic gas leak.
• At least 13 people killed and more than 260 injured after tank of chlorine gas fell while being loaded onto ship.
• Prime minister dismisses several port officials accused of “negligence” in connection with incident.

Hundreds of port workers in Jordan went on strike on Sunday after the prime minister announced the dismissal of several officials accused of “negligence” in connection with a deadly gas leak.

Last Monday, a tank of chlorine gas fell while being loaded by crane onto a ship in Jordan’s Red Sea port of Aqaba, releasing the toxic substance.

At least 13 people, including five Vietnamese nationals, were killed and more than 260 others injured, according to the latest official toll.

“The port workers are striking in protest over the weak safety measures at the port which led to the death and injury of several of their colleagues,” union representative Ahmed Amayreh said.

About “95 percent of the 2,300” Aqaba port workers participated in the strike, he told AFP.

Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh said Sunday that an investigation showed “great deficiency and negligence in safety measures for dealing with hazardous materials in the Aqaba port”.

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The director and other officials from the state port operator as well as the head of the maritime authority were sacked, the premier said during a cabinet meeting.

The gas canister’s weight far exceeded the maximum load of the crane cable bearing it, said Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya, who headed the investigation.

“The container weighed about 28.9 tonnes, which is over three times more than the capacity of the cable of 8.6 tonnes, causing it to break,” Faraya told a news conference.

A total of “18 containers of chlorine gas were supposed to be loaded onto the ship”, he said.

“During the loading of the fifth, the cable broke and the container fell, leading to the gas leak,” he added.

Faraya blamed the incident on “recklessness and negligence” at several levels, saying the port company had failed to show leadership.

Union representative Amayreh said the striking port workers were demanding officials ensure the implementation of proper safety measures.

Jordan’s public prosecutor launched an investigation into the incident, which forced the temporary closure of Aqaba’s nearby beaches, on Tuesday.

Aqaba is Jordan’s only maritime gateway and a major transit point for the country’s imports and exports.

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