Four hurt in firm's toxic gas leak
05/03/2010
A chemical plant near Grimsby in Lincolnshire has been left dealing with a "serious" incident after toxic gas escaped from its site.
Four people were taken to hospital with chemical burns and toxic inhalation after fumes escaped from the Cristal Global site on the River Humber.
Humber Coastguard said one of the casualties was transferred to a specialist burns unit at Pinderfield Hospital in Wakefield, West Yorks.
The incident took place at around 12.30am and watch manager Mike Puplett described the incident as "serious".
Shipping in the estuary was forced to stop for several hours.
A spokesman for Humberside Police said the incident was under control and no-one living in the surrounding area was at risk from the fumes.
He said: "A plume of gas has escaped following an accident at a factory.
"It is dissipating naturally in the air and there is no risk to any surrounding area."
Cristal Global, based at Stallingborough on the River Humber's south bank, specialises in making titanium-based products.
The wind was blowing from a south-westerly direction towards the north east at the time of the escape, taking the cloud across rural land and out to sea, Humber Coastguard said.
At least 10 fire crews attended the scene, with firefighters using a blanket of foam to contain the spillage.
The emergency services said up to 100 people could have been working at the plant overnight.
Humber Coastguard said: "Firefighters put a fairly substantial foam blanket over the outstanding toxic fumes and gas.
"The incident has been contained."
Officials from the Health and Safety Executive are expected to launch an investigation into what happened.
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