FIRE investigators were today still trying to discover what caused a factory blaze in Northampton during the Easter holiday.

Four crews of firefighters were needed to tackle the severe fire at Expert Developments, in Bective Road, Kingsthorpe, after it was spotted at about 7pm on Easter Sunday.

An employee at the metal finishing firm was nearby and spotted the smoke, arriving in time to warn firefighters that there were chemicals kept on site.

FRESH towels and massage oil have been identified as the cause of a fire which ripped through one of the Swindon College beauty training salons last week.

Fire crews were called to the Pegasus tower in the college’s North Star campus on April 12 after reports of a blaze on the fifth floor of the six-storey building.

Investigators have discovered that it started after a batch of towels, which had been used for massage and had just been washed and tumble-dried, were stacked in the corner of the room.

Alan Harper, the group manager for the Swindon area of Wiltshire fire and rescue service, was in charge of the investigation and said unusual circumstances led to the fire.

“The cause of the fire was down to some of the oils which were used as part of the health and beauty course,” he said.

“One of the oils, grape seed oil, which is part of the massage treatment, when that is absorbed into the towels the oil itself can then go through an oxidisation process which starts to self heat.

MOTORISTS hoping to get away for a long-weekend break suffered long delays after a mysterious liquid was spotted on a road.

Firefighters based in Whitefield, Blackley and Ramsbottom were called to the eastbound M60 between junction 18 for Bury and junction 19 for Middleton at just before 8.30pm on Thursday (April 20).

They discovered that an industrial vehicle had dropped an unknown substance onto the road.

Police closed all three lanes and diverted traffic via the M60 southbound near Heaton Park for an hour until they concluded the chemical was not harmful and reopened the road.

It caused tailbacks as far as junction 15 and delays of up to two hours.

Hundreds of people were evacuated after a chemical leak at a Whitstable factory today.

The Amphenol site on the Thanet Way was shut off after the release of a hazardous gas in one of the buildings on the plot.

Firefighters said the chemicals mixed to form the potentially deadly substance hydrogen cyandide.

Two police cars, three fire engines and a special incident team raced to the scene at 11am after the alarm was raised.

The leak was contained within the manufacturer’s plating shop while about 200 staff waited within the fenced-off site.

RESIDENTS in Sheffield were evacuated from their homes in a huge emergency operation after a man was found dead beside a quantity of poisonous chemicals.

Firefighters, some in boiler suits and gas masks, were sent to a house in Holland Place in the Highfield district yesterday afternoon, as neighbours were ushered from their homes amid contamination fears.

Police confirmed the body of a young man, thought to be in his 20s, had been found by his housemates.

London Road was cordoned off from its junction with Abbeydale Road to Witney Street, and bus routes were diverted as experts were drafted in to assess the “potentially hazardous” substance.

SURREY (NEWS1130) - Dozens of Surrey businesses closed by a fire and chemical spill Monday will have to wait to find out when they can reopen. The spill happened at Precision Plating on 84th Avenue near 130th, in a large warehouse-like complex.

Senior Environmental Emergency Response Officer Harold Riedler says the mess entered the storm drain and nearby creek, and includes chromic and sulphuric acids.

He says the acids are very toxic to aquatic life, but no fish-kill has been reported. Riedler credits Surrey Fire for quickly responding to the call, blocking storm drains and preventing more chemicals from reaching the sensitive creek.

Many shop owners are frustrated, saying they haven't been able to get answers about when they will be able to resume business. Roger Dayal owns an auto repair shop and says that's not the only problem they have because of the spill. "Bylaw officers are down here pointing fingers at everybody. You can't do this now, you can't do that now ... because of this environmental spill".

Dayal says he is losing two or three thousand dollars each day his business is closed.

A Norfolk village was brought to a standstill today when an agricultural worker walked into a medical practice after being contaminated with a toxic chemical.

Your view Email Print Got a story?
Staff at a medical practice and the emergency services were praised for their quick actions after a farm worker triggered a major chemical alert.

The man walked into the East Harling Surgery, near Thetford, at about 11am today after coming into contact with a toxic pest-control substance.

Fears were raised that patients and staff at the practice had also been contaminated by the aluminium phosphide and 35 people were contained in the building.

The farm worker, who was complaining of respiratory problems and was taken to hospital for monitoring, was also isolated by medical staff.

Paramedics, fire crews from Thetford, East Harling, Attleborough, a chemical incident support unit from Sprowston and an NHS Hazardous Area Response Team from Cambridgeshire attended, which closed the main road through the village for more than two hours. The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital was also placed on major incident standby.

Thirty firefighters have spent several hours tackling a blaze at a chemicals factory.

Crews including environmental protection officers were called to the Acdoco Ltd Imperial Works on Mallison Street in Bolton just after 8.20pm.

The building's fire alarm sounded after a fire broke out involving 55lbs of sodium dithionite – a chemical used for water treatment, cleaning and stripping.

It is thought some of the firefighters wore chemical protection suits as they tackled the flames.

The chemicals were moved into a yard before being doused with a large amount of water.

NEIGHBOURS are being warned to keep their doors and windows closed after a fire at a chemical firm.

More than 30 firefighters have been tackling a blaze at Astley Dye And Chemical Company, in Mallison Street, Astley Bridge.

They were called at 9.20pm on Wednesday when an automatic fire alarm sounded in the building.

Firefighters have been using specialist equipment to deal with the fire, which involves chemicals.

Firefighters were called to Veolia Environmental Services off Stubbers Green Road, Aldridge, at 11.50am yesterday.

A drum containing spray paint waste started to pressurise in the sunlight and released steam.

Veolia spokesman Martin Curtois said: “The drum was  cooled by the fire brigade and moved to an external yard area shortly after which it was declared safe.

“Our 55 staff who had been evacuated at the start of the incident as a precaution returned to work. No-one was injured and the staff acted in an exemplary manner following all safety procedures at the site.”

Firefighters from Walsall, Bloxwich and Sutton and specialist chemical crews from Wednesbury and Fallings Park attended.

About 70 primary school children have been exposed to asbestos when a science lesson explosion lifted ceiling tiles in a Berkshire school hall.

Pupils were evacuated from the hall at St Mary's in Kintbery, Hungerford, when a chemical test involving a hydrogen balloon caused a "sonic reaction".

Dust that fell from the ceiling tested positive for a small level of asbestos.

Health and safety officers kept the children's uniforms for testing and the pupils were sent home in their PE kits.

The hall has been sealed off and all parents have been informed.

A West Berkshire Council spokesman said: "I can confirm that during a science lesson at the school today, a planned chemical reaction involving a hydrogen balloon, resulted in a sonic reaction that lifted ceiling tiles in the hall releasing dust.

Two people were taken to hospital and two were treated at the scene after a chemical incident in Manchester.

Fire crews were called to The Alchemist bar in Spinningfields at 0143 BST following reports of a substance giving off furmes.

Greater Manchester Ambulance Service said two people with asthma were taken to hospital with breathing difficulties.

All four people affected were employees of the bar.

A Greater Manchester Fire Service spokesperson said it was suspected the fumes were caused by an accidental mixing of two heavy duty cleaning agents in the kitchen.

Three workers have been hurt in a chemical spill at a boat building company in Worcestershire.

It is thought that two chemicals reacted in a drum and splashed workers at Sealine International in Kidderminster, the fire service said.

West Midlands Ambulance crew treated two men and a woman for breathing problems caused by the toxic vapours on Monday morning.

Environmental protection officers decontaminated the area.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service station commander Chris White said the workers were not too "seriously affected".

TWO people have been taken to hospital and a whole workforce evacuated after a toxic chemical leak at a factory in Kidderminster.

Employees of Sealine on Whitehall Road fled the building when an alarm sounded after a skin irritant was spilt at about 11.20am.

Two people were stripped and washed down at the scene by the ambulance hazardous area response team, before being taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital as minor casualties.

It could have been mistaken for end of term celebrations. In fact, the loud noise which stopped passers-by outside the University’s research lab on Mansfield Road was caused by a chemical explosion.
Two students were sent to hospital after the blast, which drew onlookers and fire-fighters to the scene in minutes. Having closed Mansfield Road at approximately 3.30pm, a police blockade was erected to deter curious onlookers.
Although a spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said they “were aware of the incident,” the precinct will not begin an investigation into the matter.
The Chemistry Department are withholding further details about the explosion, including the state of the injured students, until they conclude their own investigation.
A spokesperson for the University was said: “A minor explosion occurred at a University chemistry building on Friday afternoon but was contained by a safety cabinet. Two people were injured and were taken to hospital. The fire brigade were called but the building was reoccupied and there was no risk to the public and no indication of criminal activity.”

Four children have been taken to hospital as a precaution after fears they may have come into contact with waste chemicals near a dental practice, police said.
Firefighters said they were called to reports of a spillage of mercury capsules at the dentist's surgery in Market Place, Whitburn, West Lothian, at around 5.20pm.
But Lothian and Borders Police said there had been no spillage and it was thought youngsters may have been contaminated with traces of chemical residue from waste products at the rear of the dental surgery.
A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said earlier this afternoon: "Four children and one adult were taken to St John's Hospital. Two pumps and other specialist vehicles were sent to the scene. They cleared up the spillage."
The Scottish Ambulance Service said they were called by the fire service and sent two ambulances and four specialist vehicles to the scene.
"There was a report of a chemical spillage," a spokesman added.
A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said tonight: "Ambulance and fire and rescue services were in attendance and the four children were taken, purely as a precautionary measure, to St Johns Hospital in Livingston. They were shortly thereafter reunited with their parents. No medical treatment was required.

A PENSIONER sparked a full-scale chemical alert at an old folk’s home in South Tyneside.

A 15-strong team of firefighters, plus an anti-contamination unit, tackled the incident at Calf Close House in Calf Close Lane, Jarrow.

Elderly residents were evacuated from the upper floor of the sheltered complex just after 5.45pm yesterday.

The alarm was raised by a 78-year-old woman in a first floor flat who felt a burning sensation in her throat.

Watch manager Trevor Smith, of Hebburn fire station, said: “This woman suffered a stinging throat and sore eyes and alerted us as a chemical smell filled her flat.

“It is believed ammonia was released after pipework was ruptured at the back of a fridge, which had been pushed against a wall.

“A total of nine residents were evacuated from the upper floor and moved to a communal room downstairs.

Factory explosion investigated

AN INVESTIGATION is under way into a major blaze at a factory which led to residents being told to stay indoors.

An explosion was reported by residents living near the American-owned Timet UK factory in Ystrad Road, Waunarlwydd, Swansea, shortly before 10am on Saturday.

The factory itself was evacuated with no workers reported hurt.

Timet UK, which employs around 250, makes specialist titanium equipment for the aerospace industry.

A chemical company has been sentenced after a worker suffered toxic burns to his arms and chest at an Ellesmere Port factory.

The employee at Abacus Chemical Ltd was mixing two chemicals together on 7 May 2009 when they exploded, causing him to be drenched in a hot, toxic chemical solution.

The company was prosecuted in a joint case brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Environment Agency following the incident at its plant on Oil Sites Road in Ellesmere Port.

Chester Magistrates' Court, sitting in Knutsford, heard that the company had mixed 22 kilograms of sodium cyanide pellets with hydrogen peroxide to make them less toxic. By taking this action, Abacus avoided having to pay a licensed hazardous waste company to dispose of the pellets at a cost of less than £300.

A STREET in Southend had to be cordoned off after a mysterious mercury spill.

Police had to shut off Chelmsford Avenue at 12pm on Saturday after the chemical, which is highly poisonous, was found on the road.

One fire crew from Rayleigh Weir attended the scene and had to wear special protective masks and clothing to suck up the mercury, which was scattered over a two foot section of the street.

A specialist waste disposal team was also at the scene to take away the chemical before the road was reopened shortly after 1.10pm.

A chemical leak in a Dorset hospital resulted in the evacuation of the facility with patients being transferred to other places. Following the leak, authorities at the hospital called for fire and rescue crews to the Victoria Hospital in Wimborne.

The incident took place on Friday at 1800 GMT; rescue teams arriving at the facility wore gas-tight suits to investigate the reason behind the chemical leak. There were 18 patients receiving treatment at the facility at the time of the incident and were transferred to the St Leonards hospital.

According to the investigation carried out by facilities, it was found that the leak was a result of an ammonia coolant leaking from a fridge that was removed after a period of five hours after the leak.

A FAULTY tank valve was the cause of a major chemical spill at a Nuneaton factory.

Fire crews were alerted when nitric acid poured out at Technic UK, on the Attleborough Industrial Estate.

One worker suffered minor burns in the incident, which led to all neighbouring units being evacuated.

The alarm was sounded at 9.30am on Tuesday and the whole cul-de-sac around Liberty Way was cordoned off for several hours because of the danger of escaping fumes.

Gareth Davies, technical sales manager at the firm, said: “A valve on a mixing tank blew out. It was a complete accident and is something that has never happened before.

"We managed to contain the chemical within the unit but needed to call in the fire brigade.

“The man who was operating the tank was slightly burned on one arm and went to hospital for treatment. A specialist contractor was brought in to take away the spilled chemical.”

Fire crews, coastguard and the Hazardous Chemical unit dealt with an incident on Fenella Beach.

Fire crews, coastguard and the Hazardous Chemical unit dealt with an incident on Fenella Beach yesterday.

A chemical drum was washed up on the beach in Peel with un unknown substance in it.

The area was closed off and fire-fighters in chemical protection suits were despatched to take samples of the drums contents.

It only caused a minor hazard so the beach was opened after an hour.

BUSINESSES on Winwick Quay industrial estate were evacuated after a chemical spill at Cameron Court on Tuesday at 1.55pm.

Twenty litres of nitric acid spilled into a contained drainage system and reacted with steel.

All fluid was contained on site and there were no casualties or injuries reported.

A Cheshire Fire spokesman said: “The premises were ventilated and the quality of air was sampled by an on-site chemist.

“Adjoining properties were evacuated as a precaution.

“The buildings were declared clear and staff were allowed to re-enter the buildings.”

A sewer in Manchester city centre has been contaminated by a dangerous chemical.

Xylene, which is highly flammable and toxic if it goes above a certain temperature, leaked into the sewer in the Strangeways area when thieves tried to steal the cab of a tanker.

The gang opened a valve on the tanker and thousands of gallons of the chemical poured into the sewage system. The chemical has now solidified into a jelly-like substance which is clogging up the sewer.

Now United Utilities, the Environment Agency, the fire service, and Manchester council are working together to deal with the pollution.

They insist that there is no risk to public safety at the moment.

The chemical – a clear liquid – is refined from crude oil. It is used as a solvent in printing, rubber, and leather industries.

FIREFIGHTERS tackled a chemical blaze at a Halstead factory.

The fire broke out at 11.12am yesterday in Broton Drive.

A spokesman for the fire service said two men, a 53-year-old and a 43-year-old, were taken ill and treated by paramedics after they noticed an unusual smell.

A further three were then treated on scene after suffering from exposure to the mystery gas.

Firefighters set up a decontamination unit and crews in gas tight suits entered the building to investigate.

The building was ventilated and left it in the care of the owners who will be working with the Health and Safety Executive to establish the cause of the incident and the type of gas involved.

FIREFIGHTERS are tackling a blaze which engulfed a lorry at a Suffolk farm.

The fire broke out shortly before 7.40pm at Woodend Green Farm in Hollow Lane, Thurston.

A crew from Bury St Edmunds fire station were alerted and at around 7.55pm called for backup after they discovered the tanker was carrying chemicals.

Crew from Bury, Newmarket, Haverhill, Holbrook, Stowmarket, Needham Market and Ixworth are at the scene helping to fight the fire.

The trailer contained 1,000 litres of liquid ammonium nitrate.

Firefighters battled the flames and extinguished the blaze by 9.05pm.

A spokesman for the fire brigade said the chemicals were not involved in the fire.

A pet Chihuahua in Britain is said to have caused a freak house fire when it decided to chew on a mobile phone belong to its owner.

Lily the Chihuahua apparently chewed through a Samsung handset and dislodged the battery while gnawing on it. The dog's saliva is believed to have caused a chemical reaction with the lithium in the phone's battery, and the heat from the reaction then ignited the carpet.

The incident had taken place as nine-year-old Aysha, who owns the phone, was sleeping.

When the smoke alarm went off, her mum Lynn Sayed, 45, who was watching TV downstairs with her friend Stephanie Demarco, rushed upstairs and grabbed her daughter before fleeing from the house.

A search of the house in South Shields, Tyneside, revealed the badly dented battery had scorched into the carpet.

RESIDENTS in Maldon were told not to leave their homes on Tuesday after a factory erupted in fire and phosphorus explosions.
Fire crews were called to the foil and embossing die unit in Sil-Die, Fullbridge, at 12.42pm.
A chemical officer was ordered to the scene as the basement of the two-storey building contained highly flammable chemicals magnesium developer and acetone fixer.
Speaking from the scene, assistant divisional officer, Nigel Dilley, said the first tank exploding created a chain reaction in the second.
He said: “There was a huge bang and the explosion created a bright white flash with pieces of phosphorus flying everywhere.”
Roads surrounding the area were closed and residents were told not to leave their homes.
Maldon Council also set up two rest centres for those who could not return home.

Two chemical tanks have exploded during a blaze at a design manufacturing plant in Essex.

Six fire crews were called to the Sil-Die factory in Fullbridge, Maldon, at 1245 GMT.

Two phosphorus tanks have exploded and crews have been hampered by a number of potentially explosive chemicals.

The fire service said the two-storey property has been "totally destroyed" and a heavy plume of smoke can be seen over the town.

A chemical company has been sentenced after a worker suffered toxic burns to his arms and chest at an Ellesmere Port factory.

The employee at Abacus Chemical Ltd was mixing two chemicals together on 7 May 2009 when they exploded, causing him to be drenched in a hot, toxic chemical solution.

The company was prosecuted in a joint case brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Environment Agency following the incident at its plant on Oil Sites Road in Ellesmere Port.

Chester Magistrates' Court, sitting in Knutsford, heard that the company had mixed 22 kilograms of sodium cyanide pellets with hydrogen peroxide to make them less toxic. By taking this action, Abacus avoided having to pay a licensed hazardous waste company to dispose of the pellets at a cost of less than £300.

Hundreds of people were affected by the incident at the 3M factory, on Standard Way Industrial Estate, in Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

It is understood the leak involved 600 litres of waterbased resin, which triggered an automatic fire alarm, resulting in a 400m exclusion zone being put in place.

A security guard was the only person inside the factory at the time. No one was injured.

...Emergency services said there was no danger to the public, although nearby residents were advised to stay indoors and keep windows closed.

Neighbouring businesses were also affected, with staff unable to get into their premises.

Inspector John Wilkinson, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “The chemical released was a mild irritant and there was no risk of harm.

“Thanks to the co-operation, understanding and patience of local people and businesses, we were able to bring the incident to a safe and swift conclusion.”

The Health and Safety Executive has been informed and is expected to investigate, while 3M will carry out its own investigation.

ONE person was taken to hospital after a chemical spillage at a Bewdley company.

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (H&WFRS) was called at about 12.30pm this afternoon to reports of a chemical spill at a company in Long Bank.

Fire engines from Kidderminster and Tenbury Wells attended, along with the Environmental Protection Unit from Stourport and the Incident Support Unit from Droitwich.

They found that two small five litre containers of the chemical methylene chloride had been spilled at the premises and that the company had safely dealt with the incident themselves.

Station Commander Dave Williams, from H&WFRS, said: “The company had excellent procedures in place to deal with a chemical spill of this nature, and they managed to contain the spillage and ventilate the factory effectively.”

A Maryport hairdresser has lost everything after her salon was destroyed by a freak fire that may have been caused by more than 40 years of chemical build-up.


Although investigations have not yet been completed, fire safety officers visited other salons in Maryport on Monday to make them aware of the situation and to check premises.

Owner Lorraine Hetherington said she has also been told that what happened at Hairport on Curzon Street would be used as a cautionary tale throughout Britain.

Mrs Hetherington said the fire started with a small puff of smoke on Saturday morning. There were three customers in the shop and the hairdryer had been put on for a woman who had almost finished having her hair curled.

Mrs Hetherington said: “I saw this puff of smoke coming from the dryer. It was honestly no worse than someone who might have been blowing out cigarette smoke.”

She followed procedure, putting a smoke blanket over the dryer and telling her stylist to call 999.

She added: “They laughed at me because it was only a puff of smoke but then, within minutes, it got thick and black. We didn’t really see flames, just thick, black smoke.”

RESIDENTS have been told to stay in their homes and keep windows and doors shut following a fire chemical factory.

Fire crews were called to Ferrari Electroplating, in Bury Road, Radcliffe, at 8.45pm when a vat containing 2,500 litres of copper sulphate set alight.

More than 30 firefighters worked for three hours to tackle the blaze and stop it spreading further into the building.

A cordon was set up around the warehouse and people living nearby were advised to keep their doors and windows closed to protect them from any toxic fumes.

No-one was in the factory at the time of the fire and the cause of it is now under investigation.

Firefighters tackling a chemical leak at an industrial estate in Northallerton have warned residents to stay indoors.

Fumes containing a mild irritant leaked from the premises on the Standard Way Industrial Estate following a chemical reaction at 0615 GMT, police said.

A 400m cordon is in place and the nearby A167 has been closed.

Fire officers said there was no risk of harm to the public but nearby residents should take precautions.

They are being told to remain indoors with closed windows.

Police said they were patrolling the area to ensure no motorists or pedestrians stopped there.

A family was overcome by chemical fumes and had to be rescued by firefighters after two cleaning products were mixed together at an Oxfordshire home.

Crews were called to a house in Clare, near Watlington, on Tuesday afternoon.

The house was cordoned off and two adults and a child were taken to hospital.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said two cleaning products, including a drain unblocker, had been mixed together creating chlorine gas.

'Very toxic'
Crews wore specialist equipment and breathing apparatus to clear up the chemicals.

Incident Commander and station manager Gary D'Anger said: "The occupants had been using a chemical drain blocker and mixed this with a cleaning product to cleanse a waste pipe.

"These two chemicals produced a very toxic chlorine gas which caused the occupiers breathing difficulties.

"Very toxic chemicals and gases can be produced by mixing different cleaning products together which can cause very serious and sometime permanent injuries.

"Always follow the instructions on the bottle and never mix cleaning products".

There were no injuries or damage from a 30-gallon propane tank leak in West York, said Neil Gunnet, the borough's fire department chief.
Firefighters were called shortly after 3:30 p.m. to the 1600 block of King Street, where propane gas was leaking from one of the tanks on a Continental catering truck. The tank's valve was damaged and there was no way to stop the vapor from leaking, Gunnet said.
"It just vented out and we stood by to make sure there was no damage to anything or no sparks," he said. "We blocked off the area. We checked (nearby) homes and buildings to make sure everything was OK. There were no problems."

THE suspected suicide of a St Albans man sparked a major chemical alert this evening, when potentially lethal substances were found in his home.

Police were called at about 2pm after reports were received about the welfare of a man in his 20s.

At about 4pm officers forced their way into his Hatfield Road home and found him dead.

It was then that the suspicious substances were discovered and the fire and ambulance services were called.

Dozens of police officers, firefighters and ambulance personnel surrounded the scene this evening as specialist crews wearing protective bio-hazard suits searched the building.

Onlookers watched on in bewilderment as a large inflatable decontamination archway was erected in the middle of the road.

A roadside service station has been closed on the M1 near Sheffield following a chemical leak.

The fire service said a parked lorry carrying 4,000 litres of nitric acid had leaked some of its load at Woodall Services.

The car park was evacuated at about 0930 GMT. A 50m (164ft) cordon has been put in place around the lorry.

The police and fire service are involved in the incident. It is not known how much acid has leaked.

POLICE are warning motorists to avoid the Huntingdon area after a tanker collided with a lorry and spilled its load of hazardous chemicals onto the A14 at the Spittals Interchange.

A tube station was evacuated yesterday afternoon after it was feared people could be exposed to harmful gases.

Tooting Broadway station was closed at about 1pm yesterday after staff smelt gas in the station concourse.

London Fire Brigade launched a major operation to deal with the incident, with 14 specialist units dispatched to the scene, including officers in chemical suits.

Firefighters were relieved to find the smell of gas was from underground sewers, after a manhole cover inside the station had become dislodged.

A firefighter that attended the incident said the station was closed for about an hour-and-a-half and major disruption was caused to traffic in the area.

Pavements around the station and some lanes of traffic were closed to give London Fire Brigade access to the scene.

The firefighter said: "Thankfully there was no risk to the public, just a bad smell."

He added: "But in these situation we cannot take any chances which is why we took the action we did."

Were you caught up in the incident? Contact the newsdesk on 0208 330 9541 or email weekend@london.newsquest.co.uk

A FARM worker has been taken to hospital after mixing chemicals.
Four fire engines from Uttoxeter, Cheadle, Longton and Newcastle and specialist appliances from Stone, Hanley and Newcastle were sent to the chemical spill at a farm in Jardines Lane, Stubwood, at 5.45pm on Thursday. 
On arrival they found a man suffering with breathing difficulties and a chemical spillage in a milking parlour. 
Firefighters in gas tight suits were sent into the parlour to retrieve the chemical drums so they could identify what chemicals had been mixed.
They then worked to contain the spillage before a specialist chemical company was brought in to dispose of the chemicals safely.
Station manager Garry Goodwin said: “The man had been mixing chemicals to carry out work on the farm.
“He’d used the chemicals before but had mixed them in a steel bucket. On this occasion he used larger quantities than normal and mixed them in a plastic bucket. 

A SCHOOL has been forced to close today after a chemical spill in one of the science rooms.

More than 500 pupils and staff at Uplands Middle School were evacuated this morning just before 9am when staff detected the smell of chemicals in one part of the school.

Suffolk Fire Service sent crews from Sudbury, Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill to the York Road school.

By the time firefighters arrived all pupils had been sent to the Upper School to ensure they were not at any risk.

Pat Dacy, Suffolk Fire’s group manager, said a chemical spill within a school meant they had to take every precaution.

Firefighters using full chemical uniforms located a “small spill” in one of the science labs before removing it from the school.

FIREFIGHTERS cleared up a chemical spillage in a Hampshire supermarket car park in the early hours of today.

A crew from Romsey fire station dressed in protective gear spread granules to absorb dangerous industrial fluids after cordoning off the car park area in Waitrose car park in Alma Road, Romsey, just after midnight.

The fluid was leaking from drums in a parked lorry.

A nail had pierced a 200 litre container causing highly flammable and toxic fluid used in the rubber industry to leak out. The driver raised the alarm.

Residents were today allowed to return to their homes almost 20 hours after they were evacuated following a chemical spill.

Six houses were evacuated after the spillage on an industrial estate in Ayrshire around midday.


The alarm was raised following reports of a chemical release at Mahle Engine Systems UK Ltd.

She said: “A neighbour knocked on the door and said to keep the windows closed as there had been an ammonia leak.

Fire crews have been called to a engineering works in East Ayrshire following a chemical leak.

Residents were evacuated from a number of homes in Kilmarnock as a precaution following the suspected ammonia leak at the Mahle plant in New Street.

Twenty-five firefighters were called to a health centre laboratory in Oxfordshire following a chemical leak.

A strong smell of ammonia was reported from a laboratory fridge in the Windrush Health Centre, Witney. It was then evacuated.

Three people were checked over by paramedics after breathing in fumes during the leak on Wednesday at 1500 GMT.

The fridge was removed by specialist crews who ventilated the building.

A specialist environmental protection unit was also called to the scene as well as two fire engines, before the centre reopened two hours later.

AN EXPLOSION has closed off Ebblake Industrial Estate in Verwood.

Fire fighters were called at 5.15am to the explosion, which could be heard a mile away, in and around the estate on Blackmore Road.

On arrival crews from Verwood liased with the police and found an exploded cylinder along with a large quantity of smaller cylinders including one acetylene cylinder, often used for welding and cutting.

The explosion set fire to a derelict industrial unit next to Ringwood Forest.

No one was injured but people were evacuated from nearby units.

EIGHT people were given medical treatment following a chemical leak at Russells Hall Hospital last night.

West Midlands Fire Service was called to the hospital following the chemical incident in the ground floor laundry.

Alongside fire crews, the Service's hazardous specialist also attended to help contain the clear chemical liquid.

Fire fighters and nurses also treated eight people who were suffering from mild eye irritations as a result of the gas being released from the chemical.

By Anneka Masih: Firefighters tackled a toxic chemical spill in Burton-upon-Trent caused by a faulty machine.

The leak happened at Rumenco animal feed factory in Derby Road, Stretton.

The alarm was raised this morning (December 14) when machinery began smoking and toxic liquids spilled out.

Firefighters wore gas tight chemical suits and poured sand over the spill to absorb the chemical.

FOUR fire crews spent nearly two hours clearing up a chemical spill at Tilbury Docks this afternoon (Tuesday).

Crews from Grays and Orsett were called at 3.11pm after a valve on a tank broke and ethanol, a volatile and flammable liquid, started to leak.

A spokesman for Essex Fire and Rescue described the ethanol “pouring” from the container which can hold up to 33,000 litres of the liquid.

The firefighters laid down a blanket of foam to prevent risk of ignition and contain the spillage while the Port of London Authority brought a new container to put the remainder of the liquid into.

TWO factory workers had to be taken to hospital following a chemical spill at a site in Holbeach St Marks.

Bakkavor Pizza on Sluice Road had to be evacuated and about 30 firefighters called in just before 9pm on Saturday.

Two staff members were left suffering from breathing difficulties from the incident, which was caused by an overconcentration of a chemical.

They were given oxygen before paramedics arrived on the scene and were later taken to hospital after showering and changing their clothes.

A spokesman for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said Bakkavor workers had diluted a cleaning agent down and flushed the area before fire crews arrived.

Two people were taken to hospital with breathing difficulties following a chemical incident at a Lincolnshire factory.

More than 30 firefighters were called to the premises on Sluice Road, Holbeach St Marks, just before 2100 GMT on Saturday.

Specialist crews were also called to the scene and the area cordoned off.

A spokeswoman for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said a clean-up operation had been completed and the area made safe.

It is thought the incident happened during the cleaning of a food preparation area after disinfectant reacted with an unknown substance.

Two people were injured in a chemical spill at a dairy in Somerset on Thursday night.

Devon and Somerset fire crews were called to the Robert Wiseman plant in North Petherton after reports that a pipe was leaking acid.

Paramedics treated one person for leg injuries and another for facial injuries at the scene.

A spokesman for the dairy said an internal investigation into the incident was under way.

Communications director Graeme Jack said the workers had come into "unintentional contact with a fluid used to clean pipes".

Firefighters using breathing apparatus and specialist gas-tight chemical suits have tackled a cyanide leak in north Devon.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said about 200 litres of potassium cyanide leaked into an overflow tank at Tyco Electronics at East The Water, near Bideford.

The spill was contained within the factory and no-one was injured.

The chemical is normally stored on site to strip metal.

REDDITCH fire crews are still at the scene of a chemical leak at Hopwood Park Services at Junction 2 of the M42.

Fire crews wer called out at 7am this morning to the incident which involved a hydraulic leak after a lorry caught on fire.

The fuel supply at the services had been stopped but has now been restored.

Firefighters in South Gloucestershire have dealt with a chemical incident at a hotel in Filton.

Emergency services were called to the Holiday Inn after reports staff had inadvertently mixed two chemicals together near the hotel's pool.

An Avon Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said one man in his 20s had been taken to hospital.

Staff were evacuated after a chemical spill at a Flintshire aerospace factory.

Four fire engines were called to the scene at Gardner Aerospace, Hawarden Business Park, Flintshire, at 0939 GMT Friday.

There had been a spillage of sulphuric acid and chromic acid at the factory, which makes aeroplane parts.

North Wales Fire Service said an environmental protection unit and incident response unit was also sent.

No-one was hurt.

Thieves have stolen the wreckage of a hazardous waste management plant which was gutted in a chemical fire.

Police said the metal-framed building structure had been taken from the site of BCB Environmental Management in Tockwith, North Yorkshire.

The plant was destroyed in a large fire in August and the company later went into liquidation.

The Environment Agency has been alerted amid concerns the stolen building debris could be contaminated.

North Yorkshire Police were alerted to the theft when the Environment Agency started clearing up the site on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue told Mix96 "Tuesday 16 November, 11.50am: Chemical incident - fumes given off following spillage of one litre container of nitric acid, Picts Lane, Princes Risborough. One appliance and crew from Princes Risborough and one from Aylesbury attended, along with the OSU (Operational Support Unit) from Great Missenden and the SEV (Specialist Equipment Vehicle) from Aylesbury.Firefighters used four sets of breathing apparatus, two gas-tight suits, one hose reel, sand and brushes to contain the spill and decontaminate the area. One man was taken to hospital suffering from the effects of breathing in fumes."

A CHEMICAL leak at Hartham Leisure Centre has closed roads in the area this afternoon (Thursday November 11).
Police were called at 12.50pm after being notified of a chlorine leak at the centre in Hartham Lane.
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue service are on the scene and the building has been evacuated for the safety of users.

FOUR men were taken to hospital and an industrial site was evacuated after a chemical spill at a freight depot in Haydock last night.

More than 400 litres of a highly flammable chemical leaked into the drainage system of the site after two drums were ruptured by a fork lift truck at about 9.30pm on Monday.

A 300-metre cordon was put in place and fire crews were joined by the Hazardous Area Response Team at Rhys Davies Freight off Wilcock Road, Haydock.

The four members of staff were taken to hospital suffering possible chemical inhalation and the entire Old Boston Trading Estate was evacuated.

The chemical, ethoxypropionate, was contained on site by the interceptor drains.

By Carla Regan: Two workers were taken to hospital following a chemical explosion at a factory in Staffordshire.

A 39-year-old man was reportedly thrown two metres in the blast at Aegean on Walkmill Lane, Cannock, and suffered skin irritation.

He was taken away by paramedics in a neck collar and spinal board to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

The second man, aged 29, also suffered skin irritation.

Both men were treated at the scene by crews and sent to hospital for further treatment and assessment.

A 38-strong crew of firefighters were called to the scene just before midday on Friday November 5.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Crews arrived to find that there had been a small explosion involving a gas chemical at the factory.”

Group Manager Del Roberts said: “There was a small explosion involving corrosive gases from an industrial process on site.

Firefighters battled to keep control of a massive warehouse blaze after 280 tonnes of gas canisters exploded on a North-East industrial park. Chris Fay reports.

INCREDIBLY, no one was hurt as explosions ripped through Stiller Warehousing and Distribution at 1pm on Friday, where 7,500 pallets of aerosol cans in a warehouse caught fire.

Firefighters remain at the site, on the Aycliffe Business Park, in County Durham, damping down.

Firefighters in Cornwall have been dealing with a chemical incident after containers were found to be leaking.

About 40 firefighters attended the incident at Pensilva Industrial Estate after they were alerted at about 1530 GMT.

The fire service said the liquid has now been identified as sodium hydroxide and originated from one container.

An initial cordon of 50m (0.05km) was set up but has since been reduced to 20m (0.02km).

During the incident six firefighters wore gas-tight chemical protection suits and breathing apparatus to deal with the chemical spillage.

An investigation has been launched after three men were taken to hospital following an explosion in a chemical laboratory in Royston.
The victims were working at international technology company Johnson Matthey PLC when a glass vessel shattered during testing at the catalyst, chemical and refining department just after 11am yesterday.
They were taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge with injuries caused by the flying glass.
 
Ambulance crews from Letchworth and Royston attended the scene along with three fire engines from Royston and Baldock and a team from Hertfordshire Police.

AN ACTION plan is being put together to stop pollution at a popular nature spot.
Dedridge Burn was badly affected by chemicals that escaped following the massive fire at nearby Amcor Flexibles in September.
Environmental experts discovered higher levels of chronium in the burn following the fire and locals complained of a foul smell and a film covering the water.
While a clean-up operation has helped to reduce these problems since the fire, council bosses have been pressured by people in Dedridge and Bellsquarry to take action to prevent pollution from another spill.
As a first step, a meeting will be held with representatives from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Water, community councils and Brucefield Industrial Estate.

Fire Crews from Kilmarnock and Maybole tackledf a chemical spillage within an Intensive Care Ward within Ayr Hospital, Dalmellington Road at around 6.45pm on tuesday night
Upon arrival Firefighters assisted hospital staff in the immediate evacuation of patients to a safe area, and requested the attendance of Strathclyde Fire & Rescues Technical Support Unit.
Firefighters wearing Chemical Protection Suits and Breathing Apparatus identified and sealed a leak of Ammonia which was released from a refridgeration unit within a compartment close to the ward. The refridgeration unit was removed from the premises and the ward was fully ventilated.
A total of eight hospital staff were taken to the Accident & Emergency Department at the hospital, upon compaining of minor breathing difficulties and headaches.

THE City was hit by traffic chaos in the rush hour after a chemical spill at the New Change shopping mall on Cheapside.
The London Fire Brigade in an alert said 30 people were evacuated as specialist teams combed the building to assess the cause of the spill.
Land Securities, which owns the shopping centre said: “Some workers fitting out a retail unit have been taken ill while carrying out work overnight on site yesterday (24 October 2010). It is being investigated and we are working closely with the police and fire services. The Centre is currently closed as a precautionary measure.”

A chemical incident alarm has been raised in Tooting last night after the occupants of a house lit a barbecue inside to keep warm.

According to Tooting Fire station the three occupants of the house used charcoal, and lighting fluid to start a fire in a property in Ashvale Road.

They were called at 12.48am today (October 24) to the address where they found the barbecue in the front room and were informed by one of the residents it had been lit to keep them warm.

All three people were taken to St George’s Hospital, two suffering from carbon monoxide intoxication, but have since been released.

Three fire engines, other six supporting vehicles and two senior officers were required at the scene as the incident had been classified as “chemical”.

An officer from Tooting said: “It is understandable that people would like to keep warm as temperatures go down, but the important thing to remember with things like that is if you’re lighting a fire inside the house you should do it in the appropriate way - you should have a fireplace.”

A SPORTS centre in Basingstoke was evacuated this morning after reports of a chemical leak.

Fire crews were called to the Aquadrome at 8.45am this morning after reports that a member of staff had collapsed while working with chemicals in the health suite.

More than 30 customers and staff were evacuated from the building, and two male members of staff were taken to Basingstoke hospital as a precaution.

Ryan Thurman, station manager at Basingstoke fire station, said: “It came through to us as a hazardous material incident.

“What happened is one member of staff was working with a couple of chemicals and has been overcome by the fumes.”

He confirmed that the mixture of the chemicals produced chlorine gas, which led to the evacuation of the building.

Fire crews left the scene at around 12.40pm, but the Aquadrome remains closed until experts check the levels of the gas in the building.

A TEACHER was taken to hospital following a chemical leak at a school in Colchester.

Students and staff were evacuated from the science block at the Philip Morant School, in Rembrandt Way, after ammonia was found leaking from a refrigerator in a staff room.

Emergency services were called to the scene and set up a decontamination zone after two members of staff were overcome by fumes.

THE BURSCOUGH chemical waste plant explosion was an accident waiting to happen, residents claimed last night.
Ken Davies, a member of Burscough Residents Against Transfer Station (BRATS) told the Advertiser that people are now asking why PHS Waste Management, was allowed to be sited so close to their homes in the first place after the explosion on Tuesday.
Ken said the group warned the council years ago that this sort of dangerous incident, at the plant formerly Reformation Disposal Services Ltd, was inevitable.
He said: “This catastrophe is big enough to set alarms bells ringing. These plants should be sited where there are no risks to residential areas.”

A large fire has broken out at a Lancashire chemical plant.

More than 10 fire crews tackled the blaze at a chemical plant in Burscough, where smoke could be seen pouring out of the roof from up to four miles away.

The crews were called to the business in Tollgate Road at around 10am on Tuesday and two casualties were believed to have been airlifted to hospital.

STAFF from businesses on the Crewe Gates Industrial Estate were evacuated after police and fire crews were called to a report of a chemical spillage.
The chemical, which has been identified as formic acid, is believed to have been spilled at around 7pm last night following a burglary at Newday House on First Avenue.
Police, who were called to the incident just before 7am this morning, have since studied CCTV footage and believe that the spillage was caused whilst the thieves stole containers which were holding the acid.
Cheshire Police, together with the Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service, placed a cordon in the immediate area and evacuated staff from local businesses whilst an assessment and removal of the substance took place.

A chemical spill that closed a port in Essex has been cleared up and traffic is back to normal.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service were called by Port of Tilbury Police when a container of paraquat dichloride fell from a trailer and was damaged.

The material is a marine pollutant and spilled in a high risk area so fire control operators sent seven fire engines to deal with the spill.

The London Ambulance service received the first report at 2.20 PM with a single responder and hazardous area response team attending first. Four adult males were assessed on scene for inhalation of fumes and were transported in a single ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, for further assessment.
A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade confirmed that an unknown quantity of floor cleaner and bleach had been mixed and firefighters attended the scene with specialist detection equipment but did not find any elevated levels of a dangerous chemical. College Approach and Creek Road reopened at 4.30 PM.

Detectives were today examining computer records amid fears that two women killed themselves in a chemical suicide pact after meeting over the internet.

The bodies of the pair, both in their twenties, were discovered in a flat filled with toxic fumes in Putney yesterday afternoon.

Fire crews in biohazard suits and breathing apparatus had to force their way into the property in Lower Richmond Road. Windows, doors and air vents had been sealed up to prevent the lethal gas escaping.

COUNCIL staff turning on a central heating system at an office in Nailsea for the first time since last winter sparked a major emergency operation.

Fire, police and paramedics rushed to Somerset Square at just after 3.30pm yesterday after staff working in a council building at the rear of the town's library reported a strange, chemical smell in a third-floor office.

Five people were in the office at the time, all of whom were evacuated on the advice of emergency crews.

A handful of people in the nearby library were also evacuated and a 100ft cordon was put around the building while fire crews went inside.

Fire crews from Nailsea, Avonmouth and Clevedon plus the Avon Fire and Rescue environmental response unit from Brislington – a total of around 20 firefighters – attended the scene.

The office is used by the council's sports development and active lifestyles team.

Five members of staff – three men and two women – were in the office when they noticed the strange smell.

Avon Fire and Rescue said they believed the smell had come from the central heating system – which had been turned on yesterday by staff for the first time since last winter.