Between the evening of 13 September and midday on 14 September, ammonia leaks were reported at the State Company of Southern Fertilizers in Khor al-Zubair, Basra, Iraq, and at an industrial facility near Jordan’s southern port of Aqaba. The Iraqi incident occurred during plant operations and caused fatal exposure, while the Jordanian release happened during maintenance on an old pump or other pressurized equipment, prompting authorities to evacuate nearby workers and clear the port as a precaution.
Iraqi civil-defense officials said emergency teams rescued 10 employees from the fertilizer complex and recovered the bodies of two workers who died in the incident. Around 50 people suffering from breathing difficulties or suffocation were transported for medical treatment. Some local reports cited a higher number of affected people, but a final official casualty count has not been issued.
Workers and some residents near the Khor al-Zubair site were evacuated while technical teams isolated the source and contained the release. Basra authorities subsequently opened an investigation covering the cause of the accident, the condition of the equipment and compliance with occupational-safety requirements.
The second incident occurred in Jordan’s southern industrial area at Aqaba. According to local authorities, a small quantity of ammonia trapped inside old pumping or pressurized equipment escaped during maintenance. Eleven people sustained mild to moderate inhalation injuries; some were treated at the industrial complex’s clinic, while others were taken to hospital.
Because the industrial site is located close to Aqaba’s southern port, the port was evacuated under emergency procedures. Authorities said the release was brought under control shortly afterwards. No damage to port infrastructure or prolonged suspension of oil, LPG or dry-bulk terminal operations was announced.
Ammonia is a major feedstock for fertilizer production and international trade, but it is also highly volatile and toxic when inhaled. Even limited residual quantities inside equipment can create dangerous concentrations when pumps, pipelines or pressure systems are opened for maintenance.
Neither incident has yet produced a confirmed international ammonia or urea shortage. Iraqi officials have not disclosed how much fertilizer capacity was taken offline or when normal operations will resume. Jordanian authorities said their incident was contained and did not announce a prolonged port closure.
The two events are not known to be connected. Their close timing nevertheless places attention on equipment isolation, residual-gas testing, respiratory protection and coordination between chemical plants and nearby port operators.
Market consequences will depend on the operating status of the Iraqi fertilizer complex and the restoration of routine activity at Aqaba. Until those details are confirmed, the incidents should be treated primarily as serious industrial-safety events rather than evidence of a regional fertilizer supply disruption.
