In a meat-packing plant, a crate while falling broke a heat-insulated pipe. The refrigeration unit emptied (in 30 min) and ammonia spread throughout the basement zone. An employee trapped in the space (due to bars placed on window openings) died from intoxication and burns. Unaware of the presence of NH3, the rescue teams brought with them inappropriate gear. The rescue mission lasted 90 minutes, with in all 19 employees and 5 fire-fighters being burned and intoxicated to a point of requiring hospitalisation. A poorly-located storage area, a corroded unprotected pipe, the lack of alarms / evacuation plans and the facility’s internal layout (partially hidden emergency exits, etc.) all caused or exacerbated the accident conditions. A committee of experts was asked to submit recommendations (administrative monitoring of refrigeration, use of NH3, inter-organisational emergency response plan).