FIREFIGHTERS wearing chemical suits tackled a spillage of hydrochloric acid at a building firm.
The incident happened at Birtley Building Products, in Mary Avenue, Birtley, near Chester-le-Street, on Saturday.
A tanker carrying 20,000 litres of the highly corrosive liquid was making a delivery at the firm, which uses it in a steel galvanising process.
A spokesman for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Brigade said acid began to spurt out after a pressure valve failed.
Firefighters and the lorry driver, who had his own protection suit, decanted some of the liquid into a storage tank to reduce the pressure and stop the spillage.
The firm carried out its own contingency plans and covered the spilled liquid, between 200 and 300 litres, with lime and sand.
The mixture was put in a special container until it can be disposed of by a specialist firm.
Crews from Birtley and Gateshead attended the incident, along with an emergency tender from Pilgrim Street, Newcastle.
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