A GARAGE and school were evacuated after a hydrochloric acid spillage in Stapleford.
Fire fighters say a cloud of acid fumes was given off after a large drum containing 1,000 litres of the chemical fell off a lorry at Autotechz garage, in Pasture Road, yesterday and started leaking.
Around 500 litres of the acid was spilled in the incident, which happened at about 10am.
Six people were evacuated from the garage, while 47 children from the nearby Jubilee House Christian School were led to safety.
Two fire fighters involved in the clean-up were also taken to hospital as a precaution after complaining about having pins and needles in their hands.
Colin Poyzer, station manager at Highfields Fire Station, said the crew members had probably suffered a strain injury while attempting to lift the container.
He said: "Containers were being unloaded off the lorry and because it was on a slight incline one fell off.
"There was a cloud of fumes. We decided to right the container to stop it leaking and stop the cloud being formed.
"It was extremely difficult. because the container was damaged we couldn't right it using the mechanical device that had been used to unload the containers.
"Fire fighters in breathing apparatus and gas-tight suits had to pull it up onto its base."
Nigel Cooke, 58, of Kennedy Drive, off Pasture Road, said he witnessed the aftermath of the incident.
He said: "One fire engine went passed and I took no notice at first. I then saw guys with breathing apparatus on.
"Everybody was running around like headless chickens, and there was some stuff coming out of the back of the tanker. I thought it didn't look too good, and the scary thing was there is a school next to it."
Fire crews from Stapleford and Highfields, and an environmental protection unit from Stockhill, attended the incident.
Two members of the public were also checked over by the emergency services following the spillage.
Police closed Pasture Road, between Kennedy Drive, Hickings Lane and Moorbridge Lane, for more than four hours while the clean-up operation took place.
Bob Waters, 72, of Hucknall, had driven to Autotechz for an appointment at 11am when he was confronted with a police road block.
He said: "I arrived at 10.45am and police were just putting up signs across the road.
"Thee told me there had been a chemical spillage.."
Moorbridge Lane resident Geoffrey Churchill, 67, who has lived in Stapleford for around 30 years, said: "I saw three or four fire engines down there dealing with the spillage.
"It's very unusual and rare that anything like this happens here."
