Cause of chemical drama still not known

9:00pm Saturday 30th June 2012 in News

Workers evacuated after suspected chemical leak Workers evacuated after suspected chemical leak

11am Saturday - No hazardous material or cause of illness found. Cordon lifted 7.30pm Friday. Investigations continue. Discussions will now be held with the Health Protection Agency.

They are yet establish the cause of the leak.

The incident response unit from the ambulance service and specialist police and fire service were called to the scene yesterday afternoon.

Firefighters and ambulances were alerted at 12.38pm and went to Essex House in The Crescent in Severalls Business Park.

Several businesses have been evacuated and others have been advised to keep windows closed.

Newcommen Way and The Crescent have been closed.

Transco engineers were also called to the scene but confirmed there was no gas leak.

However, specialist teams are investigating a noxious smell which is believed to be carbon monoxide and a 200 metre exclusion zone has been set up.

Update 2.40pm

An emergency number has been issued for any relatives with concerns for people who have been taken ill in the incident at Colchester this afternoon. They should call 0800 0920410.

An Essex County Council spokesman said: "The safety of our employees is obviously of paramount importance, so emergency measures have been taken, with Essex House employees – including all Customer Service Centre agents – evacuating the building while further investigation takes place. In the meantime there should be minimal disruption to our customers’ 0845 calls, as business continuity procedures are in place.”

3.50pm update:

An assessment centre set up by paramedics has checked 25 people who did not require further treatment.

Four people have taken themselves directly to Colchester General Hospital with sore throats and sickness.

5.45pm update

An investigation of Essex House by fire service has so far failed to find the source of the suspected leak. Gazette reporter Adam Cornell reports more people are being allowed to leave the scene.

Comments(21)

DrPenguin says...
4:30pm Fri 29 Jun 12

There is something amiss with this story, Carbon Monoxide does NOT have an odour, which is one of the reasons it is so lethal. People need to have a WORKING Carbon Monoxide detector in their home, because they will not smell it.

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FormerColchesterGirl says...
5:11pm Fri 29 Jun 12

That's what I thought too DrP. Hope the source and problem is detected quickly and people affected get well soon.

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kaisersozay says...
5:35pm Fri 29 Jun 12

Spot on DrP.

This sounds much more like LPG inhalation.

I wonder how many of the units have LPG storage tanks to power heating through the colder months on Severalls?

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DrPenguin says...
5:38pm Fri 29 Jun 12

FormerColchesterGirl wrote:
That's what I thought too DrP. Hope the source and problem is detected quickly and people affected get well soon.
Indeed, my sentiments exactly, I feel very sorry for those people affected and wish them all a speedy recovery.

Just don't want others to get complacent above having Carbon Monoxide Alarms.

FormerColchesterGirl
, I wish you a good weekend.

@csljohnkirby

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DrPenguin says...
5:44pm Fri 29 Jun 12

kaisersozay, I thought about LPG but Transco would have picked up CH4 (Methane) on their equipment, was wondering if there was any refrigeration plant near by using Ammonia (NH3) known as R717, that is colourless but pungent

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Dug says...
6:37pm Fri 29 Jun 12

Someone probably had a hot curry last night and broke wind inappropriately.

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ShallowRemarks says...
6:41pm Fri 29 Jun 12

My Brother in law works at the site and reckons there has been a cover up and the general public is not being told everything.

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beanypie says...
6:53pm Fri 29 Jun 12

Has there been any advice for the public who live in the area?! is it safe to go out?!?

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ExPatMiddlesexer says...
12:35pm Sat 30 Jun 12

I have read of cases where lots of people get the same symptons, and report strange smells etc, but no cause is ever found. It is then presumed to be a form of mass hysteria. I know no more about this incident than what's written above, but from the fact nothing has been found it does make me wonder if it was a case of hysteria.

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pestypaul says...
5:53pm Sat 30 Jun 12

The noxious smells and reported ill health that where traced to pitsea tip several years ago, where said to be mass hysteria by an official report by golder assosiates. five years later the the reported ill health was attributed to the tip, olny after the company that run the tip had been sold to a new company. coryton refinery caught fire and the environment agency claimed in the press that the smoke was not toxic(strange that it is when you put in your car) moral is. dont belive a word they say when a poisoning incident is reorted

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Phonebox says...
2:06am Sun 1 Jul 12

4 people will be attempting to seek compensation.

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Shambolic says...
9:24am Sun 1 Jul 12

The Hysteria is on the part of the scientists who when they can't find a cause make up hysterical fantasies to cover their dented egos

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jut1972 says...
9:26am Sun 1 Jul 12

for a sore throat?
a pack of strepsils and a couple of days off would do that...

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totallyfootball says...
10:47am Sun 1 Jul 12

Maybe someone with a grudge against the council, the list of suspects would be enormous?

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SoundSense says...
10:53am Sun 1 Jul 12

Gross overreaction. Maximum disruption. Massive waste of emergency service resources.
I bet the officer in charge of this 'incident' is desperately hoping this will blow over and be forgotten! Reminiscent of the small gas bottle in a burning vehicle which closed the A12 and the railway a few years back.

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the alternative view says...
7:14pm Sun 1 Jul 12

Sorted my workmate who has a smelly arse......

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gettae says...
12:42am Mon 2 Jul 12

It was really smelly there on Wednesday when they were cleaning all the drains. Could this be the cause?

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kaisersozay says...
11:53am Mon 2 Jul 12

Well... It looks like we may have witnessed nothing more than mass hysteria.

There was an idiot policeman who seemed to self-appoint himself as commander of this incident and proceeded to rudely bark orders at passing motorists, (in particular female motorists).

I wonder if the over-reaction was caused by him and his colleagues perhaps?

Somewhere, there is an incident commander who is twitching and hoping desperately that a formal enquiry into this isn't opened.

Mass hysteria is very well documented; google it...

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mechanic7 says...
2:59pm Mon 2 Jul 12

I hope an inquiry into this is started and then we might find out why the dozens of so called specialists were incapable of doing their jobs.

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O rly? says...
1:48pm Tue 3 Jul 12

Given recent events in Oldham, I think the authorities can be forgiven for being overly cautious. I would much rather that than any form of complacency that could potentially lead to disaster. Motorists being diverted were not severely disrupted, so lets just be thankful nothing worse happened...

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wellnow says...
9:44am Wed 4 Jul 12

hear hear to the oldham comment.

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