Break-in link to dangerous chemical leak

POLICE are today investigating after fears thieves broke into a warehouse in Hadleigh and damaged containers leading to a dangerous chemical leak.

More than 1,000 litres of chemicals leaked from the Suffolk and Essex Supplies warehouse in Lady Lane Industrial Estate at around 4am today .

More than 25 firefighters, from Hadleigh, Felixstowe, Haverhill and Ipswich, attended the spill which involved 1,000 litres of hydrochloric acid, 25 litres of sodium hydrochloride and 25 litres of coalene creosote.

Police were called to the warehouse, which produces chemicals for swimming pools, farms and cleaning, at 3.45am after a member of staff had arrived for work and discovered the gates were open.

The female worker contacted police from inside the building stating there was no damage to the office.

A police spokeswoman said: “It was only when officers arrived on scene that they noticed the chemical spill.

“Officers contacted the fire brigade and dealing with that was our priority.

“However, we will now be talking to the manager of the business to establish whether there had been a break-in.”

Fire crews and the Environment agency attended the scene and put up a temporary cordon prohibiting members of the public from entering the site.

Six firefighters went into the site wearing protective clothing and others wore breathing apparatus to check containers to discover which ones had spilt.

Firefighter Alex Smith, said: “The chemicals were potentially dangerous and if mixed could turn into chlorine which could damage skin.

“We went into the yard and checked the containers to discover which ones had leaked and then diluted them with water and washed them down a drain after the Environmental Agency confirmed that was the best thing to do.”

Nobody from Suffolk and Essex Supplies were not available for comment.

Fire crews left the scene at 7am today .