Azomures, Romania’s largest fertilizer producer, suffered a fire following an explosion early on July 7 at its ammonia 3 unit in Tîrgu Mureş. The unit was in the last phase of the restart process following a technical overhaul, the company said in statement on July 7.
One person was injured in the incident, a 50-year old Azomures employee who sustained an upper limb fracture.
Azomures said the fire was soon extinguished and no ammonia emissions were recorded at the unit, which is now shut down. The producer said the operation of its other facilities have not been affected. It has begun an internal investigation into the incident.
The producer last week reported that a partial technical overhaul of a number of its production units, which had begun on June 1, was nearing completion (GM July 2, p. 32; June 4, p. 32). It had not indicated which of its facilities were involved in the overhaul.
Azomures since 2012 has been owned by Swiss Group Ameropa via a subsidiary. According to Azomures’ website, the Romanian company produces some 1.6 million mt/y of fertilizers, with 70 percent of annual output going to local farms. Its main products include ammonium nitrate, CAN, granular urea, and UAN, as well as NPK and NP fertilizers. Azomures also has melamine production capability.