Hazardous Materials Incident on A23: 10-Hour Response, No Injuries
A routine customs check uncovered a loaded sea container with hazardous materials on the A23, leading to a ten-hour incident at the Steinburg rest area. The incident, which involved no injuries or public danger, saw responders from various fire departments and hazmat units work together to contain and investigate the leak.
The incident began when a loaded sea container was detected during a routine customs check, revealing hazardous materials inside. The container was later found to have damaged drums containing an insecticide, which likely caused the initial smell. The unloading process took until around 22:00 and required chemical protective suits and a wheel loader from the THW Barmstedt branch. Despite the incident, traffic on the A23 continued uninterrupted, with only the Steinburg rest area closed. Over 130 responders, including fire departments from Pinneberg and Steinburg, and the hazard material unit from Dithmarschen, worked together to contain the situation. The Steinburg disaster relief provided catering for the responders throughout the operation.
The incident was concluded after around ten hours, with no injuries reported and no danger to the public. The damaged containers were transferred to airtight stainless steel overpacks. The local fire department and hazmat team, supported by environmental protection agencies and possibly the police, will continue to investigate the cause and extent of the damage.
