Figures show chemical leak incident rate
RUNCORN and Widnes are in joint second place for firefighter call-outs to chemical spill incidents across Cheshire over the last five years.
From April 2011 to the end of March 2016, Cheshire Fire And Rescue Service was called out to four incidents each in both towns.
Across the county, there were only more chemical spills attended to by firefighters in Ellesmere Port, with seven incidents over the five years.
The figures – obtained by the Weekly News through a Freedom Of Information request – show that there was one incident in Widnes in 2012-13 and 2015-16, while there were two attended in the town by Cheshire firefighters in 2014-15.
In the middle of last August, crews were called to Halebank following a chemical incident on Pickerings Road, which the fire service said was a release of chlorine gas.
United Utilities later confirmed that there was a reaction between diesel and a chlorine-based substance.
For Runcorn, there were two chemical spills attended to by firefighters in 2013-14, with one each in 2012-13 and 2014-15.
The towns are joint second on a list which includes other Cheshire towns and cities such as Chester, Warrington, Crewe, Congleton, Sandbach, Middlewich and Macclesfield.
Overall, crews were called out to 44 chemical incidents in the county over the five year period.
From the start of April this year, there have been three incidents in Cheshire which required fire- fighter attendance.
Runcorn Fire Station manager Mark Bushell said: “Cheshire Fire And Rescue Service treats all chemical incidents very seriously, no matter how large or small.
“Firefighter and public safety are always our priority.
“We have specialist firefighter protection equipment and crews train regularly to deal with all types of incidents, including those involving chemicals and hazardous materials.
“Incidents involving chemicals can also be harmful to the environment; we have officers who are specially trained to deal with hazardous materials and the protection of the environment.
“I would urge anyone who may be transporting or dealing with chemicals and hazardous materials to always follow the specific safety advice for transportation and storage given with them.”