2010-03-05 11:22:23 - Explosion - United Kingdom EDIS CODE: EX-20100305-25209-GBR
Date & Time: 2010-03-05 11:22:23 [UTC]
Area: United Kingdom, England, Cristal Global Chemical Plant, Grimsby Number of Injured person(s): 4
Damage level: Heavy (Level 3)
Not confirmed information! Description: Four people were taken to hospital today with chemical burns from a cloud of toxic gas after an explosion at a factory on the river Humber near Grimsby. The casualties also inhaled toxic fumes after titanium tetrachloride gas escaped from the Cristal Global chemical plant, Humber coastguard said. One of the injured was transferred to a specialist burns unit at Pinderfields hospital in Wakefield, West Yorkshire and all shipping in the estuary was halted for several hours. The coastguard's watch manager Mike Puplett described the incident, which happened at around 12.30am, as serious. A spokesman for Humberside police said the incident was under control and residents in the surrounding area were not at risk from the fumes. The coastguard said wind was blowing the cloud across rural land and out to sea, and that the incident "has been contained". Cristal Global, based at Stallingborough on the Humber's south bank, specialises in making titanium-based products. The Humberside police spokesman 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." 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. The coastguard said the no-sail order in the estuary was lifted at around 5am.
A ship with an estimated 12 people on board earlier sailed through the toxic cloud as it floated over the Humber. The boat stopped at Immingham where the crew were checked by paramedics and appeared unharmed. Puplett said: "This has been a serious incident, which has involved many agencies working together. "The incident is still ongoing and there is still a danger from the toxic fumes in the locality. "We are hoping that normal service on the river Humber can be restored as soon as possible." Officials from the Health and Safety Executive are expected to launch an investigation. Phil Leake from Humberside fire and rescue said the escape occurred after an explosion in a chemical vessel at the factory. The gas cloud would have dissipated "quite quickly", he said. "The gas cloud has been moving across the Humber … in incidents like this we monitor the weather constantly," he told the BBC. "We have mobilised an officer on part of the north bank to take some air samples." He said there was no danger to the public but people living nearby should keep their windows and doors shut. Leake advised anyone who thought they might have inhaled fumes to contact NHS Direct. A spokesman for Cristal Global at the Stallingborough site said the company was still investigating what had happened and was unable to provide more information.
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