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Hydrogen station explodes in Norway, fuel cell car sales suspended

Around 5.30pm on Monday June 10, local time, an explosion took place at the hydrogen refuelling station in Sandvika, a city around 15km south of Oslo, Norway.


State broadcaster NRK reports emergency services established a 500 metre exclusion zone around the hydrogen station. With the station located near the intersection of two highways, both were shutdown for several hours as authorities tried to contain the situation.

Two people were taken to hospital, reportedly for injuries suffered when the airbags in their cars went off.

The cause of the explosion is still being investigated.

The hydrogen station is one of three in Norway, and all are operated by the Uno-X chain of unmanned petrol stations. In response, Uno-X is temporarily suspending the sale of hydrogen fuel, and will empty the hydrogen tanks at all three locations.

It is also pausing construction of hydrogen refuelling stations at three other fuel stops "until we are absolutely sure that the technology and the solution are safe".

According to Tu, both Toyota and Hyundai have suspended sales of their Mirai and Nexo hydrogen fuel cell cars. Toyota is reportedly offering Mirai drivers a loan vehicle.

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