Ukraine has evacuated more than 800 people after a train carrying yellow phosphorus derailed, causing a fire and spreading a toxic cloud over dozens of villages, officials said tonight.
The train, travelling from Kazakhstan to Poland, left the tracks in western Ukraine yesterday derailing 15 rail tankers carrying phosphorus.
Six rail tanks caught fire, spewing toxic smoke over an area of about 90 square km (35 square miles), where about 11,000 people live, emergency officials said. They said 13 people were taken to hospital suffering from poisoning.
Yellow phosphorus is a waxy solid which is stored under liquid because it ignites on contact with oxygen. Phosphorus compounds can be extremely toxic.
Local television stations showed fire fighters in full chemical protection gear, with oxygen tanks, spraying foam onto the tanks.
"They are cooling down the cisterns and the phosphorus that leaked out is being covered with sand and foam," emergency ministry spokesman Ihor Krol said from the site of the spill.
"Everything is under control. There is no threat to anyone."