Pollution Concerns Follow Linthwaite Fire
The aftermath of the fire yesterday. (picture: terrierandy7)
There are concerns about pollution in the Linthwaite area following yesterday’s fire at the Grosvenor Chemicals plant. Part of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and all of the Huddersfield Broad Canal have been closed, while a special team of experts has been deployed to monitor air quality.
On the advice of the emergency services, British Waterways straight away closed the Huddersfield Narrow Canal between lock 12 at Milnsbridge and lock 24 at Slaithwaite. The chemical works where the fire took place is alongside lock 20.
Later, because of fears chemical pollution from the blaze may have got into the River Colne, the feed from the river into the Huddersfield Broad Canal was shut. Without that it’s not possible to operate locks on the canal, so it was completely closed. British Waterways will issue a further update this afternoon.
Meanwhile, the so-called Air Quality Cell has been put into action for the first time. Set up following the 2005 Buncefield blast near Hemel Hempstead, it’s a group of technical experts designed to advise local officials in the aftermath of major incidents such as this. The AQC is testing the air and the river for pollutants, and is closely monitoring the changing situation.
You can read more from British Waterways here, and from the Environment Agency here. The Examiner has in-depth coverage of the story, which can be found here.
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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