Chemical Industries of Ethylene Oxide explosion
| Date | 14 January 2020 |
|---|---|
| Location | Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain |
| Type | Explosion |
| Deaths | 3 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 7 |
On 14 January 2020, two explosions at the Chemical Industries of Ethylene Oxide (IQOXE) site in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain, killed three offsite people and injured seven.
The site is operated by IQOXE, which is the only producer of ethylene oxide in Spain with an installed capacity of 140,000 tonnes per year, and 50% of this production is destined to the manufacture of glycol, one of the main raw materials for the production of PET polymers. Because of the toxic nature of the chemicals it produces, the site is covered by the Seveso-III directive.