Japan’s Maruzen shuts Chiba cracker, aroms units after fire

09 December 2011 08:59  [Source: ICIS news]

TOKYO (ICIS)--Japanese chemical producer Maruzen Petrochemical has shut its 520,000 tonne/year naphtha cracker, along with its aromatics facilities, in Chiba following a fire, the company said in a statement on Friday.

As of 17:00 local time (08:00 GMT), the units remained shut, and it was still not known when the facilities can restart, a company official said on the phone.

The fire broke out at 10:08 Japan time on Friday in the electric room of the Chiba complex, and was extinguished after about two hours, Maruzen Petrochemical said.

The company had shut the cracker, its benzene, xylene and toluene unit “and other facilities” at the site, the official said, but added that there was no damage to the plants.

Damage to the electric room where the fire broke out is still being assessed, the official said.

Maruzen Petrochemical was operating its cracker at “nearly 90%” prior to the shutdown, according to the official.

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By: Tomomi Yokomura
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