Major incident declared after sodium cyanide spill in UK canal
Birchills Junction, north of the spill. Image courtesy of Oosoom/Wikimedia. A major incident has been declared after a toxic chemical spill in a canal in Walsall, in the West Midlands.
Walsall Council said the Environment Agency was testing the canal water in the affected area for sodium cyanide and other chemicals.
The public has been advised to avoid a 12-mile section of the canal network and towpaths that stretch from the centre of the borough to Birmingham, passing through interconnected waterways in Wednesbury, Tipton, and West Bromwich.
The spill was first discovered on Monday (12 August 2024), when Walsall Council notified the Environment Agency of a spillage in Pleck, which had gone directly into the canal, and issued a warning message to the public. A major incident was declared on Tuesday night (13 August 2024).
Sodium cyanide is water-soluble and can pose significant health risks to anyone who comes into direct contact with it. It can cause seizures, vomiting and loss of consciousness. Authorities have stated that the chemical poses a significant health hazard to both people and their pets. They also caution that anyone who has caught fish from the canal should avoid consuming them.
Dozens of dead fish can be seen in part of the canal.
⚠️ Agencies across the West Midland Local Resilience Forum are treating the chemical spillage into a canal in Walsall as a major incident, with a multi-agency response.
— Walsall Council (@WalsallCouncil) August 13, 2024
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Speaking to the BBC, Walsall Council leader Garry Perry confirmed the substance to be sodium cyanide.
He said: “We understand [the public’s] alarm — of course, we want to do all we can to take the right precautionary measures to protect individuals.” He adds that it is too early to speculate how the substance entered the waterway.
When the spill was discovered on Monday, it had already flowed into the section of the canal from Spinks Bridge in Walsall down to Birchills Street Bridge.
Perry confirms that an ongoing investigation into the spill will be conducted, and daily updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
The council has posted a map showing the canals the public should stay away from.
