| Submit your comments on this article |
| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| Poison threat from Ukraine train |
| 2007-07-18 |
| Several Ukrainian villages are at risk from a giant poisonous cloud that formed after a train carrying a toxic chemical caught fire and derailed. The cloud covers an area of 90sq km (56sq miles) above some 14 villages near the town of Lviv. Hundreds of villagers from the area have been evacuated and at least 20 people have been taken to hospital. The fire aboard the train carrying highly flammable yellow phosphorus was put out late on Monday, reports say. The train was travelling from Kazakhstan to Poland and Ukrainian rescue teams are still said to be working at the site of the accident. While hundreds of villagers have been evacuated, those who remain in the area have been advised to stay indoors and avoid eating vegetables or animal produce sourced locally. |
| Posted by:lotp |
| #1 Material safety data sheet for yellow phosphorus[PDF]. Nasty stuff. "The substance may spontaneously ignite upon contact with air." "May reignite itself after fire is extinguished." |
| Posted by: gromky 2007-07-18 05:30 |