Proclaimed to be the biggest disaster of its kind in more than a decade in Costa Rica, a huge chemical fire broke out in Moin, Limon recently. A huge pillar of black smoke rose into the sky, visible throughout the Caribbean coastal plane, with flames several stories high hit on its heals. This disastrous event kept firefighters busy for nearly 11 hours on Wednesday as the fire destroyed the chemical plant Quimicos Holanda Costa Rica S.S. in the port city of Limon.

The fire was so fierce that it caused four tanks of commercial solvents to explode, stated officials at the scene. The toxic smoke produced forced more than 300 residents out of their homes into temporary shelters in nearby communities. The effects of this disaster did not stop there however, as a water pumping station was shut down as a precaution, leaving at least 20,000 people without water. Authorities have now began an investigation into whether a nearby aquifier, which supplies a large amount of Limon with drinking water, was contaminated by the incident.

According to chemist, Ariel Alfaro, from the University of Costa Rica (UCR), the chemicals present in this plant present a huge danger to the environment. Just one litre of sort of fuel or petroleum can contaminate 35,000 litres of water. According to firefighters and officials, a small amount of the chemicals had leaked into a nearby river, and that is why the water pumping station was shut down, until they know the extent of the contamination. There have since been reports of dead fish in nearby waterways.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, although an investigation has begun. An investigation has also started, to estimate the extent of the damage to surrounding eco systems and the local environment caused by the leaking chemicals.

Due to the plant being set up and operational before 1995, the plant was not required to submit an environmental impact form, which were only made mandatory in 1995. Therefore it was hard to predict and make precautions for such an eventuality.

Some of the firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation, cramps and other symptoms, however the only people to be treated for burns were three people, present when the fire began. Unfortunately one of these victims, Geovanny Hernández, who turned 32 the day of the fire, died at 9:50 a.m. Thursday morning, at San Juan de Dios Hospital in the capital. Another of the victims, Greivin Cortes, 24, is in intensive care, with burns covering 80% of his body, and finally Albert Sánchez, 33, is thought to be stable and doing well.