The World - News from March 22, 1989

Four people were killed and more than 50 injured as a result of an explosion of a large container of ammonia at a Lithuanian factory that residents had long called a hazard, Izvestia reported. The government newspaper said the accident in the town of Ionava, northwest of the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, forced the evacuation of 30,000. Izvestia said the situation remained critical as nitrophosphates at the plant continued to burn and the wind changed constantly. “Whenever ecological topics were discussed in recent years, this factory was always mentioned. Do we really need an accident on such a scale to draw people’s attention to the plant?” Izvestia asked.