Published: Friday, 29th August, 2008 09:05
Chemical spill in Shinfield closes road
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FIREFIGHTERS spent hours cleaning up a dangerous chemical spill in Shinfield yesterday.
Crews from three Reading fire stations had to wait for the go-ahead from the Environment Agency before tackling the spilt trichloroisocyanuric tablets in St Barnabas Road. Some of the tablets, the size of ice hockey pucks, were found in a bag in a back garden while others were spread over the road and had been ground to dust by passing cars.
When mixed with water, the tablets produce nitrogen trichloride, which can irritate skin, damage eyes and is even potentially explosive.
Nobody was evacuated, but the road was closed and a cordon put up while the fire crews collected the tablets up wearing breathing apparatus, and sealed them in special containers before washing the roads using hundreds of litres of water. Neighbours were told to stay indoors with doors and windows closed as a precaution.
Watch manager Chris Holland said: “It certainly can be dangerous, and we needed to hear back from the Environment Agency before going ahead and washing the rest of the dust down the drains.”
Crews are still investigating where the tablets, similar to those used to sterilise water and clean pools, came from.
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