Public warned to avoid canal after it is contaminated by cyanide - with a 12-mile stretch of water now affected by the 'serious' toxic spill
The public has been warned to avoid a West Midlands canal where dead fish were found after the water was contaminated by deadly cyanide.
The 'serious' toxic chemical spillage has affected a 12-mile stretch of water in Walsall and sparked a major incident to be declared.
The Environment Agency tested the water in the canal networks and towpaths for sodium cyanide with Walsall Council's leader later confirming it to be the substance.
Residents living near the waterway were told not to eat fish from the canal or have contact with the contaminated water.
The public have been asked to avoid an extended area of the canal and towpaths from the Walsall lock flight to the lock flights at Rushall, Ryders Green and Perry Barr.
The 'serious' toxic chemical spillage has affected a 12-mile stretch of water in Walsall and sparked a major incident to be declared
The Environment Agency tested the water in the canal networks and towpaths for sodium cyanide
A sign warns the spillage could pose a potential serious risk to health if 'you or your pets are exposed'
Walsall Council leader Garry Perry confirmed the substance to be sodium cyanide, which can cause seizures, vomiting and loss of consciousness.
The UK Health Security Agency says it is used in industry for metal cleaning, plating, extraction and photography.
The Environment Agency said it was investigating a surface coatings and sealings firm, Anochrome Ltd, as a possible source of the leak.
The public body described the incident in Walsall as 'unacceptable' and warned it would take 'robust enforcement action' if any wrongdoing had occurred.
Anochrome describes itself as 'a quality conscious and environmentally aware organisation' on its website.
Walsall Council previously said a major incident was declared on Tuesday.
An EA spokesperson said: 'We are working closely with Walsall Council and the UK Health Security Agency to respond to the serious chemical spill incident in Walsall and to assess the impact on the environment.
'We are now investigating the company that is believed to have caused this incident.
Dead fish have been pictured floating in the canal that has been poisoned by the deadly toxic chemical spillage
The spillage, which was discovered on Monday, had gone directly into a stretch of the canal from Spinks Bridge, Walsall, down to Birchills Street Bridge
Walsall Council said the Environment Agency was testing the canal water for sodium cyanide and other chemicals in the affected area.
Exposure to the chemical can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, confusion, changes in heart rate and loss of consciousness, according to the agency(file image)
The canal was closed off on Wednesday morning, with several police cars and members of the Canals and Rivers Trust at the scene
A stretch of canal at Reservoir Place, Walsall, West Midlands, where dead fish can be seen floating on top of the water, is cordoned off by police
'Pollution of this kind is unacceptable and the impact on wildlife and the environment can be severe. We will take robust enforcement action if non-compliance is uncovered.
'We have established a sampling and testing programme and urge the public to follow safety advice given by the local council.'
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs said ministers were closely monitoring the situation, adding: 'Toxic pollution of this kind is disgraceful.'
Anochrome said it had immediately notified the EA and Severn Trent Water following the incident and its senior management team remained on-site working to minimise and contain the spill, BBC News reported.
Bruce and Lauris Crook, 72 and 70 - originally from New Zealand, live on a narrowboat and have been unable to pass through the locks on the canal since Monday while water testing takes place.
Mr Crook told the PA news agency: 'They want the water to stay as undisturbed as possible. As a first step it seems they want everything to stay still.
'The locks were closed because of repairs required, but by Monday afternoon, it was a wider stoppage. So we can't move.
The council added that anyone who has taken any fish from the canal should not eat them while drinking water will not be affected by the incident
In a statement, the council said they were notified of a spillage in Pleck by the Environment Agency on August 12 that had gone directly into the canal
'We registered with the Canal and River Trust as an interested party and they'll let us know when they're happy that the boats start moving again.'
Residents in the area expressed their frustration and anger upon hearing the news, raising concerns about the damage the chemical will cause to the local area.
Martyn Lever told the Express & Star: 'We use the canal all the time for leisure, recreation and we walk the dog along there, plus I volunteer litter picking along there and we try to keep the area as clean and tidy as we can.
'When you see something like this, standing on the bridge and seeing dead fish on the top, it's a horrible thing to see and the thing is that two days ago, it was fine, but we saw the pollution yesterday morning and it seems like it was allowed to happen.
