Liquid copper spills at Uralelektromed plant, 50 people evacuated

YEKATERINBURG, Oct 22 (PRIME) -- Liquid copper spilled out due to a malfunction at a copper refinery Uraleketromed, part of Ural Mining Metallurgical Company (UMMC), causing evacuation of 50 employees, the Sverdlovsk Region’s Directorate of the Emergency Ministry said late on Monday.

“Liquid copper spilled out from a copper furnace on an area of 10 square meters, 50 people were evacuated from the facility. There were no injuries. Workers of the facility cooled down the spilt copper by piling blister copper on it,” the statement read.

An Uralelektromed official told PRIME that a weight measuring unit of an anode furnace suffered from a technological malfunction.

“The furnace was stopped, and part of the metal was transferred to a special pit. There were no other technological malfunctions of the equipment. In order to prevent negative consequences, about 50 people of the technical personnel were evacuated to a safe place. There were no casualties. The emergency was contained before fire teams came, the facility is working as usual now,” the official said.

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