Police take over Hungary toxic sludge probe

HUNGARY’S top investigative agency opened a criminal probe into the toxic sludge flood yesterday while the European Union and environmental groups warned the disaster could spread down the Danube and have long-term consequences for several nations.

Hundreds of people had to be evacuated after a gigantic sludge reservoir burst on Monday at a metals plant in Ajka, a town 160km south-west of Budapest.

At least four people were killed, three are still missing and 120 were injured with biting chemical burns as the torrent inundated homes, swept cars off roads, damaged bridges and disgorged an estimated 1 million cubic meters of toxic waste onto several nearby towns.