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Explosion rocks Finnish plant near Russian border

The plant's fire chief Toni Jaako suggested the blast might have been caused by a technical malfunction

© Grand Warszawski/ Shutterstock/ Fotodom, file

STOCKHOLM, August 18. /TASS/. An explosion occurred at a Stora Enso processing plant in Imatra, Finland, a few kilometers from the Russian border, Finnish broadcaster Yle reported.

The plant's fire chief Toni Jaako suggested the blast might have been caused by a technical malfunction.

TASS has compiled the key facts about the incident.

Explosion

- An explosion occurred at a Stora Enso processing plant in Imatra, Yle reported.

- The plant is located a few kilometers from the Russian border.

- According to Yle, the incident occurred at about 2 a.m. in an outdoor tank farm storing liquids.

Cause of incident

- The cause of the explosion has not yet been established, Yle reported.

- Stora Enso said it is investigating the cause that led to the incident.

- Jaako later said the explosion may have been caused by a technical malfunction.

- According to him, as cited by the local newspaper Iltalehti, the malfunction caused pressure to build up in a tank containing tall oil, a byproduct of pulp production, rupturing the tank wall.

Environmental impact

- About 50 cubic meters of tall oil spilled onto the plant's grounds.

- The substance also entered nearby Lake Saimaa through the drainage system.

- The substance will be removed from the water via a vacuum system, Yle reported.

- Boom barriers have been installed in the waterway, while a small oil spill is being removed in a controlled manner, Stora Enso said.

Response

- The company said production at the plant had been suspended "to assess the damage and carry out the necessary repairs.".

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