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Hundreds evacuated over chemical accident in N Germany

16 October 2012 23:51 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA> Around 1,400 people have been evacuated from their homes near Hanover in northern Germany after a chemical accident at a factory run by US food giant Kraft, APA reports quoting Press TV.

According to German authorities, the accident occurred on Monday when employees accidentally poured acid into a tank containing sodium hydroxide solution, leading to a chemical reaction and causing a cloud of poisonous gas over the small town of Bad Fallingbostel.

However, the company spokesperson Heike Hauerken said that, "There has at no time been any danger for the population because we decided, along with the authorities, to evacuate as a precautionary measure."

She added that production was halted as soon as the accident took place.

On Tuesday, some 700 firefighters were still trying to cool the containerâ€™s rising temperature in order to prevent any possible explosion. The experts were also trying to pomp out the acid.

Another spokesman for the company also said that, "Yesterday afternoon, acid and alkaline were mixed together by accident and they don’t go together very well. So we have to count on Chemical reactions. Rescue services are now trying to get the situation under control."

No one was reportedly injured in the incident.