A TOTAL of 32 firefighters were called to a scrapyard on Tyneside tonight.
The call was received around 7.45pm and the firecrews, with an additional three group managers, attended the yard in Swalwell, Gateshead.
A spokesman for Tyne and Wear fire and rescue said the alarm was caused by two to three tonnes of metallic dust that had reacted with rain water and was giving off an acrid ammonia type odour.
Fire crews approached the potentially hazardous substance and covered it with four tarpaulin sheets.
The incident was left with environmental health officers who were arranging for the material to be removed out of the area.
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