The police have this evening urged residents that there is no wider risk following a fire that broke out at a fertiliser plant today.
A plume of bright orange smoke was the sight for many residents in Billingham this afternoon (May 24) who spotted the cloud after a fire broke out at CF Fertilisers.
Emergency services attended the blaze following reports of an industrial incident involving the small release of a gas from the facility.
The Ostwald reaction to make nitric acid from ammonia is a bit more visible in Billingham today than it usually is… #NO2 pic.twitter.com/M6Ybceh48V
— Richard Ward (@Shakyshakes1980) May 24, 2024
No-one is understood to have been injured.
Police have now issued their latest statement on the incident, stating that there is not a wider risk to the public.
Theu said: "We want to reassure the members of the public that there is no wider risk following the incident at the site of a fertiliser company in Haverton Hill.
"An industrial incident involving the small release of a gas from the facility happened this lunchtime.
"There are no reports of any injuries to anyone and there are no off-site implications or further risk to the public."
Following the incident, CF Fertilisers have confirmed that there is an investigation underway.
A spokesperson said: "At approximately 12:20 pm today, there was an incident at one of the Billingham Complex’s nitric acid plants that resulted in a release of nitrous oxide.
"The plant’s safety system worked as designed and the plant was shut down safely, stopping the release within five minutes.
"The incident is over and there is no risk to the public.
"A full investigation of the incident will follow."
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