Heavy-duty vehicles emitting ammonia - firefighting gear to combat ammonium emissions in trucks

On Monday afternoon, July 28, 2025, at around 15:00 hrs, an incident involving a parked truck occurred in the street "Im Teelbruch" in Essen-Kettwig. The truck, loaded with aluminum slag, a waste product from the metal industry, was reported to have emitted smoke near the Kettwig swimming pool.

Upon arrival, the Fire Department of Essen initially believed that the truck was on fire. However, further investigation revealed that only smoke was rising from under a tarp. A hole in the covering tarp allowed rainwater to react with the load, producing ammonia gas.

As a precaution, the Kettwig swimming pool was evacuated and temporarily closed, and residents in the surrounding area, including a nearby circus, were asked to leave the area. Residents of an adjacent apartment building were allowed to stay in their homes but were asked to keep doors and windows closed.

The truck was subsequently transported to a specialized disposal company in Lünen under the escort of the Fire Department, police, and LANUK after completion of all measures. The damaged tarp of the truck was temporarily sealed with duct tape by the firefighters to prevent further reaction with rainwater.

During these operations, the firefighters came into contact with the hazardous substance and were cleaned at the decontamination site. Ammonia gas is irritating to the eyes, respiratory system, and skin, so the affected area was immediately evacuated.

Comprehensive control measurements in the vicinity of the incident site revealed no health-endangering concentrations outside the cordoned-off danger area. The incident took approximately four hours to complete, and fortunately, no one was injured during the incident.

The Fire Department was supported by the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection North Rhine-Westphalia, the municipal environmental office, and the Analytical Task Force. For further inquiries, please contact the Fire Department Essen: Nico Blum, Telephone: 0201-12370104, Fax: 0201 12-3820119, Email: [email protected], Website: http://www.feuerwehr-essen.com/

It is believed that the fire origin in the truck on the street "Im Teelbruch" in Essen-Kettwig was caused on the night of September 6 to September 7, 2025. The Fire Department is currently investigating the exact cause of the incident.

Heavy-duty vehicles emitting ammonia - firefighting gear to combat ammonium emissions in trucks