Chilean explosive-grade ammonium nitrate (EGAN) producer Enaex suffered an explosion in a storage warehouse in the northern Chilean mining town of Calama on April 19. According to local press reports, a large pillar of black smoke could be seen rising into the sky from several miles away as police cordoned off the area and firefighters battled the ensuing blaze.
According to an Enaex statement, the blast took place at 4.45 p.m. local time and was caused by an incident in a storage warehouse for products used in the manufacture of dynamite. It said one person suffered minor injuries.
Enaex said it has launched an investigation into the cause of the blast, but provided no further details.
The company is a subsidiary of the Chilean Sigdo Koppers Group and is the largest producer of EGAN in Latin America.