The precise origin of the leak has not yet been located, according to the prefecture and the firefighters.
An ammonia leak occurred Wednesday in the Brasserie of the Dutch giant Heineken in Mons-en-Barœul, near Lille, leading to the evacuation of the factory, but according to the North Prefecture its odor does not present any danger for residents. Ammonia levels 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 interviewed.
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 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). Its precise origin has not yet been located, however, according to the prefecture and the firefighters. Twenty-five firefighters’ devices are engaged, and more than 300 employees and subcontractors have evacuated the premises as a precaution, according to the spokesperson for the firefighters.
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This factory is the largest in Heineken in France in terms of area, production capacity and in number of brass brands (Heineken, Pelican, Pelforth, Desperados range …), 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.
