Major incident declared after toxic chemical spill in West Midlands

A major incident has been declared following a toxic chemical spillage in a canal in the West Midlands.

Walsall Council said the Environment Agency was testing the canal water for sodium cyanide and other chemicals in the affected area.

The council warned that there is a potential serious health risk to anyone who has had direct physical contact with the water in the impacted stretch of the canal.

Public Health England’s website described sodium cyanide as “white crystal like solids with a faint almond colour” that is used in industry for metal cleaning, plating, extraction and photography.

Exposure to the chemical can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, confusion, changes in heart rate and loss of consciousness, according to the agency.

Ingesting cyanide salts, which can dissolve in water, releases cyanide into the body, the agency’s website states.