Ammonia Leaks From Cold Store in Guca, Four Hospitalized
Ammonia leaked from an industrial cold store in Guca overnight on June 27 into June 28. Seven people were evacuated, four taken to hospital in Cacak, and the operation ended by morning.
- Ammonia leaked from an industrial cold store in Guca at around 00:50 overnight on June 27 into June 28.
- Seven people were evacuated and four were taken to hospital in Cacak.
- The Interior Ministry activated the early-warning system and the "Find Me" app.
- The ammonia transfer was completed and the operation ended at 6:55.
Residents of Guca were woken in the middle of the night by a message few people ever want to receive. At 9 Prvomajska Street, ammonia had begun leaking from an industrial cold store. It was around 00:50 overnight on June 27 into June 28, in the municipality of Lucani.
The response came quickly. The Interior Ministry and the Emergency Situations Sector activated the public early-warning system, along with the “Find Me” alert system. Residents were told to close windows, switch off ventilation and air conditioning, and stay indoors. Ammonia is a sharp-smelling gas that irritates the airways, so the warnings had a clear goal: to reduce the number of people exposed.
Seven people were evacuated from the cold store and nearby buildings. Four were taken to hospital in Cacak and, according to available information, their lives are not in danger. Several others went to the local health center on their own, distressed by the smell and the symptoms ammonia causes in the first minutes of exposure.
How was the leak stopped?
Teams on the ground located the cause. The fault was found on one of the safety valves of the cooling system. That prevented the gas from spreading further, the crucial step in incidents like this. Ammonia leaks from refrigeration plants are dangerous precisely because the gas spreads rapidly through the air and can reach high concentrations in enclosed spaces.
Firefighters and rescue crews worked through the night. The ammonia transfer was completed successfully, and the concentration of gas in the air was monitored until the situation was judged safe. The operation officially ended at 6:55 in the morning.
The incident shows how much an early-warning system can mean in practice. A message sent on time reaches people before the gas reaches their lungs. The “Find Me” app and SMS alerts are not abstract tools but a concrete way to notify an entire settlement within minutes.
What comes next for the people of Guca?
With the operation over, the focus shifts to inspecting the facility and establishing how the fault occurred. Industrial cold stores have used ammonia as a refrigerant for decades because it is efficient, but it requires strict maintenance. Each safety valve is part of a system meant to prevent exactly this scenario.
For local residents, what matters most is that the danger was removed before it grew into a larger disaster. Seven people evacuated, four in hospital but out of danger, and one night of uncertainty, yet without the worst consequences. The open question is one of routine checks and whether all safety measures at the plant were in place.
Do you think facilities handling hazardous substances in populated areas should be inspected more often and more strictly?
