A malfunction in a valve assembly at an Air Liquide American Corp. facility led to a serious leak of liquid nitrogen, which formed a cloud of vapour over Kapolei, Hawaii and has now been brought under control.
A driver passing by the Campbell Industrial Park in the early hours reported seeing a vapour cloud at the Air Liquide American Corp. facility, with Fire spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig later explaining that a container holding around 1,000 gallons of liquid nitrogen had been leaking.
The leak was apparently caused by a malfunction in a valve assembly and was stopped once employees and firefighters applied water to the frozen valve to warm it and seal off the leak, about half an hour later.
Liquid nitrogen can displace oxygen, but because the area was outdoors there was little danger of further damage or harm over the issue.
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