An ammonia leak occurred Wednesday in the Brasserie of the Dutch giant Heineken in Mons-en-Barœul (North), near Lille, leading to the evacuation of the factory, but according to the prefecture of the North its odor does not present any danger for residents.
The ammonia rates in the atmosphere “were calculated inside and outside the factory” and have shown that there was “no dangerousness for the population”, even if an odor can be felt, according to a spokesperson for the prefecture.
Used in the Heineken factory for its refrigerant functions, ammonia is a flammable and toxic gas when it is inhaled in high doses. It can also cause skin burns and eye damage.
The origin of the leak is not located
The leak was reported around 2:30 p.m., on part of the factory which is currently under construction, said a spokesperson for the departmental fire and rescue service (SDIS).
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Its precise origin has not yet been located, however, according to the prefecture and the firefighters. 25 firefighters are engaged, and more than 300 employees and subcontractors have evacuated the premises as a precautionary measure, according to the spokesperson for the firefighters.
This factory is the largest in Heineken in France in terms of area, production capacity and in number of brewed brands (Heineken, Pelican, Pelforth, Desperados range, etc.), can be read on the group’s French site.
The factory, which has belonged since 1986 to Heineken, produced 260 million liters of beer in 2024.
