Kilkenny County Council last night launched its major emergency plan following a hazardous hydrochloric acid spill at a brewery in the city last night. Olivia Kelly and Seán Keane report.
The spillage at St Francis Abbey Brewery on Parliament Street, formerly the Smithwicks Brewery, on the banks of the river Nore, is under investigation by the fire brigade and the council.
A number of units of the fire brigade were called in to try and control the leak, which happened at around 7 p.m., and to cordon off the area surrounding the brewery, including Wolfe Tone Street and Michael Street.
The spill did not reach the nearby river. However, clouds of hydrochloric vapours were released over the city. The precise volume of the spill and the potential health effects are not yet known. Preliminary reports suggest that the incident happened when a delivery of the acid was being made to the brewery.
A spokesman for the Diageo-owned brewery said he would not comment on the incident until the fire brigade had completed its investigation.
This is the second major chemical accident at the brewery. Toxic chemicals were discharged following an accident in 1981.