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A cloud of poisonous gas!
Shortly after I had got out of bed this friday morning the outdoor alarms went off. I
turned the radio on hoping to hear why. After some music there was an announcement. A
tank containing about 20 000 tons of sulphuric acid had sprung a leak. The tank was
placed at a chemical plant in the southern parts of Helsigborg.
The tank had cracked early this morning and approximately 10 000 tons of sulphuric acid
had leaked out. Some of it into the harbour basin. When the acid came in contact with
the water it had turned into a cloud (some called it a fog) of poisonous gas drifting
slowly to the north over the city!
I kept the radio on and listened to the information brought to us by the regional radio
station. People where told to stay indoors and close windows, doors and ventilation. I
could see the flashing blue lights of a couple of police cars as they where preventing
people from going into the most dangerous and sealed off areas.
About two hours later, at eight o'clock, there was a new announcement stating that for
the most part of Helsingborg the danger was considered to be over. Except for an area
of a radius of 1 kilometer, around the chemical plant. Five or six people had been
injured and brought to hospital for observation. Luckily, none of them was in any critical
state.
I was due for a computer class at eight thirty but I didn't get there until about eight
forty-five. Only to find that there was hardly anybody there. Not very surprising. The
few of us who hade come where shortly told to go home since there were to be no class
this day. A man who left at the same time I did said:
- At least it brought something good with it!
