Frankfurt chemical spill causes alarm

A truck containing hydrochloric acid tipped over in an industrial park in Frankfurt, Germany, setting off emergency sirens in the area. The accident — the cause of which is not yet known — occurred at the Griesheim Industrial Park west of Frankfurt around 4:00 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Authorities sounded alarms throughout the neighborhoods of Griesheim and Nied around 04:30 and once again at 06:30. Residents were instructed to keep doors and windows closed and to stay tuned for radio announcements. Automobile traffic and public transportation was also halted.

Shortly after 8:00, police issued the all-clear, saying: "The situation is stable! The warnings have been lifted. The latest [air] measurements were negative." 

Prior to this, however, the fire services had been urging caution. Although police and representatives of Weylchem Griesheim GmbH, which operates the facility, quickly declared the spill did not pose a threat to residents, the Frankfurt Fire Department initially took to Twitter to say it was too early to say for sure. The fire department's Twitter feed featured a map of the affected area and cautioned residents to stay indoors until further notice. 

City and industrial park fire departments are currently on the scene, where they are working to clean up the spill.

The truck in question was transporting hydrochloric acid, which is used in a number of chemical processes. The aqueous solution is a strong corrosive that can cause skin burns and eye damage if people are exposed to it in high concentrations.

js/msh (AFP, dpa) 

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