Ammonia Gas Leak at Lotte Wellfood Plant in Seoul Prompts Safety Investigation

An ammonia gas leak occurred at Lotte Wellfood’s Yeongdeungpo plant near Seonyudo Station in Yangpyeong-dong 5-ga, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, at around 5:30 a.m. on August 21. The incident prompted an emergency response from fire authorities and local government agencies, although no injuries or casualties were reported.

Around 40 people, including employees working inside the facility when the leak occurred, evacuated the plant on their own after detecting the incident. Lotte Wellfood promptly reported the leak to emergency services after becoming aware of the situation. Fire authorities arrived at the site and completed initial emergency measures by shutting off the plant’s main gas valve at approximately 5:52 a.m.

The Yeongdeungpo-gu Office subsequently issued an emergency safety alert to residents in the surrounding area. Residents were advised to remain indoors and close windows or turn off air conditioners because of the possibility of an ammonia odor. Authorities also instructed vehicles near the facility to take alternative routes while emergency measures were underway.

Fire authorities and other relevant agencies, including the Yeongdeungpo-gu Office and the regional environmental office, conducted measurements of residual ammonia concentrations inside the plant and in nearby areas. The inspections confirmed that no ammonia gas was detected outside the facility, helping to ease concerns about potential exposure among nearby residents.

The Yeongdeungpo facility is an aging industrial site that was completed in 1969. The plant currently manufactures a range of food products, including gum, candy, chocolate, and ice cream. The age of the facility is expected to be an important consideration as authorities investigate the source of the leak and assess whether equipment or infrastructure contributed to the incident.

Lotte Wellfood apologized to nearby residents and customers for the concern caused by the accident. The company said it would cooperate fully and transparently with the investigation being conducted by relevant authorities. It also pledged to carry out comprehensive safety inspections and implement additional measures to prevent a similar incident from occurring again.

The company stated that it has regularly conducted facility safety inspections and emergency response drills. However, following the latest incident, Lotte Wellfood plans to conduct another review of its overall safety management system and identify areas requiring improvement.

Fire authorities and relevant agencies are continuing a detailed investigation into the exact cause of the ammonia leak, the condition of the affected equipment and any potential property damage. Lotte Wellfood said it would implement necessary corrective measures promptly and strengthen its safety procedures across its operations.

The incident highlights the importance of rigorous ammonia-handling protocols, equipment inspections and emergency preparedness at industrial facilities, particularly at older plants located close to populated urban areas.

Impact on Chemical Commodity Prices

The incident is unlikely to create a significant or sustained impact on ammonia prices because the leak occurred at a food-processing facility rather than a major ammonia production or distribution site. Since authorities confirmed no ammonia outside the plant and the event involved a limited quantity, regional supply-demand fundamentals remain largely unchanged. However, the accident could temporarily increase attention on industrial ammonia safety, potentially raising compliance, inspection and maintenance costs for ammonia-consuming facilities. For commodities tracked by ChemAnalyst, ammonia prices may remain broadly stable, with movements continuing to depend mainly on feedstock costs, plant operating rates, import availability, energy prices and downstream fertilizer demand.