A major incident has been declared after a toxic chemical spill in a canal in Walsall. The public have been warned to avoid a 12-mile stretch of the canal network and towpaths running from the heart of the borough to neighbouring Birmingham, but taking in interconnected waterways across Wednesbury, Tipton and West Bromwich.
Walsall Council leader Garry Perry confirmed the substance to be sodium cyanide, which can cause seizures, vomiting and loss of consciousness. He said: “We understand [the public’s] alarm – of course we want to do all we can to take the right precautionary measures to protect individuals.
Sodium cyanide dissolves in water and can have serious adverse health effects for those who come into direct physical contact with it, posing potential risks to both people and their pets, the council has advised. Dozens of dead fish can be seen in part of the canal.
Anyone exposed to the water who felt unwell should seek medical advice through the NHS 111 service, or phone 999 in an emergency, a Walsall Council spokesperson said. The exclusion zone markers run from the Walsall lock flight to lock flights at Rushall/Ryders Green in the borough, and Perry Barr in Birmingham. Mr Perry said it was too early to speculate how the substance entered the waterway.
Source: BBC
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