Furious firefighters have hit out after chemicals left unattended for more than a year sparked a major safety alert.

Roads into Towerfield Road, Shoebury, were sealed off as firefighters donned chemical suits to investigate a spillage in a unit previously used by chemical firm Pharmacos.

The incident is the latest in a line to involve the firm, which left the substances in the unit after it ceased trading last December.

Angry fire chiefs said the incident was identical to one at the same unit last year -- and the alarm was even sounded by the same person.

Assistant divisional fire officer Keith Baker said: "We are tying up three emergency vehicles here, attending an incident which could have been avoided had the chemicals been correctly labelled.

"Stuff has been in this warehouse since last year - things are poorly labelled and poorly marked."

Mr Baker added that roads were sealed off and an ambulance put on standby as a precaution due to the previous history of the company.

Emergency services were alerted to reports of a spillage around mid morning yesterday, when a man who had been clearing out the unit reported noticing a sticky substance on the floor.

Mr Baker said: "There is caustic soda, hydrochloric acid and there is stuff with labels which can't be read.

"The man said he felt itchy but we think that was probably a psychological feeling."

It is thought the spillage caused a mild alkaline reaction, but Mr Baker said no chances would be taken in view of the firm's history.

Safety problems with Pharmacos date back to 1995, when a mistake with molten potassium caused an explosion which blew the roof off its Southchurch Road factory.

The blaze on December 8 saw 139 people taken to hospital for Health checks and residents evacuated.

Then in July 1998 Towerfield Close was sealed off for two hours while firefighters in chemical suits investigated escaping fumes at the same unit as yesterday's incident.

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said its chemical and hazardous installation division was investigating the incident and would be speaking to former Pharmacos director Spencer Brown.

The HSE spokesman said part of the current investigation would involve ensuring sufficient funds were available to dispose of the hazardous materials.

Mr Brown was fined £10,000 for the 1995 fire at Southchurch Road.

Pharmacos was bought out by Oxfordshire-based Avonchem at the end of 1998, when it ceased trading.

Former director Spencer Brown was unavailable for comment.

Potential hazard - firefighters don chemical suits to protect themselves from the spillage

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

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