In a unit handling nitric acid concentrations at a plant manufacturing phytosanitary products and medicines, an explosion occurred on the lower part of the distillation column and on the associated heating tank. Fire broke out in the adjoining zone, generating a plume of smoke that the wind swept towards the motorway. The control room, pump room and an adjacent building were all damaged; offsite damage was observed within a 400-m radius (shattered panes for the most part). The explosion also caused a nearby tank (containing 6,000 litres of nitric acid at 40% + cleaning residues loaded with nitro-pendimethalin, nitrous pendimethalin and pendimethalin) to shift and crack. Moreover, process residues and residual tanker products, diluted by the extinction water, were drained into a treatment basin prior to discharge. According to initial investigation findings, an uncontrolled reaction during processing was responsible for this explosion.

Property damage was appraised at 5 million euros and costs related to the emergency response and cleaning amounted to 50,000 euros. On 5th July 2007, the Brescia Court sentenced 5 plant managers to suspended jail terms of 12-16 months for safety lapses. The municipality of Manerbio, which had filed a civil suit, received 50,000 euros in damages and interest.

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