Serious alert as city hydrochloric acid leak forces evacuation of 1,000

NEARLY 1,000 people had to be evacuated after hydrochloric acid leaked from a tank, forming a potentially lethal vapour which spread to adjoining industrial estates.

The leak was spotted at a chemical plant in Cork city shortly before 10am yesterday.

Staff at Goulding’s Chemicals, at Centre Park Road, notified the emergency services, who were quickly at the scene.