Chemical spill causes chaos

Major clean-up operation as tractor loses wheel and sheds load

Traffic was brought to a standstill on a north-east road yesterday when a lorry overturned, spilling its cargo of weedkiller. The A920 Ellon to Pitmedden route was partly closed for two hours for a major clean-up.

Amajor clean-up operation was launched yesterday after a truck overturned and spilled its load of weedkiller.

Both lanes of the A920 Ellon to Pitmedden road were blocked for morethan twohours whileemergency services cleared the chemical spillage.

The accident – which happened around 10am near t h e Ma i n s of Mosstown turn-off – also involved a black Mercedes, which suffered extensive damage to the bonnet.

Both drivers were uninjured, however paramedics attended the scene as a precaution.

At the scene yesterday, police and a fire crew worked to upturn the bright green truck, owned by agricultural firm Agrii.

A JCB fork-lift was used to correct the vehicle – which had lost a wheel – before it was removed from the road. The car was taken away shortly after and the road was reopened.

Meanwhile, a pensioner died following a crash in a car park at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. It is understood the 75-year-old man fell ill at the wheel of his navy blue BMW 520d, before it smashed through a fence and hit a tree, coming to a standstill against a large boulder.

The four- door saloon landed on a grass verge at the side of an unnamed road, close to the entrance to the hospital car park.

Emergency services were called to the accident, in the hospital grounds, shortly before 11.30am.

The man was taken to the nearby infirmary by ambulance, but later died.

The road was closed for several hours while police carried out investigations.

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokeswoman confirmed that an ambulance had attended the accident and taken one casualty to hospital.

A police spokesman added: “We can confirm that a 75-year-old man has died following reports of a one-vehicle road traffic collision at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

“Early inquiries indicate that the man died as a result of a medical matter.”

The road reopened shortly before 2pm.

MAJOR CLEAN-UP: Farmers help to overturn the tractor, after it spilled its load of weedkiller on the road.

Aman died in a crashed car in the hospital car park