Drum falls off lorry
Scare after contents spill across road in village
A drum that fell off of the back of a vehicle sparked a toxic chemical scare in Strathblane last week.
Emergency services raced to the scene on Friday (January 5) evening amid fears a dangerous chemical had been spilled across a main road through the village.
It’s understood a member of the public discovered a vehicle had shed a 20-litre drum containing the chemical and raised the alarm.
However, upon examination, the contents of the drum were found to be a non-harmful agricultural disinfectant.
The woman discovered the drum in Kirkburn Road, a short distance from the Kirkhouse Inn hotel.
She picked up the drum and moved it to the side of the road to remove any danger for motorists and contacted the emergency services.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service sent four fire engines to the scene along with an environmental protection unit.
Police attended the incident and the Scottish Ambulance Service dispatched its special operations response team and a manager.
The woman was checked by the ambulance crew but found to have suffered no effects from the substance and required no further treatment.
Police say the road was shut between the roundabout at the Kirkhouse Inn and the junction of Kirkhouse Road.
Strathblane Community Council chairwoman, Margaret Vass, witnessed the ensuing panic as the emergency crews arrived in the village.
She said: “It was all very dramatic. There were a load of fire engines, police cars, ambulances, all with flashing blue lights, people wearing the protective clothing and the road was completely closed for a few hours. When I saw all of that I thought there must have been a terrible accident.
“The main thing is that nobody was hurt.”
None of the surrounding properties was evacuated and the spill was cleared and the road re–opened at around 6.20pm.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “The public is thanked for their patience as the matter was dealt with.”
The vehicle which shed the drum has yet to be traced and may, if the driver is identified, possibly face further police action for carrying an unsafe load.
When I saw all of that I thought there must have been a terrible accident