Factory evacuated in gas scare

RESIDENTS in a South Yorkshire village were ordered to close their windows and doors this morning after a gas leak at a food factory.

Eight fire engines, carrying 40 firefighters, dealt with the incident after around one tonne of ammonia leaked from a tank inside the Green Core Prepared Food factory on Mansfield Road, Wales, between Rotherham and Sheffield.

Crews were first alerted to the incident at around 8.40am and a 60 metre safety cordon was immediately set up to keep passers-by away.

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The factory was evacuated and three members of staff were taken to hospital for checks as a precaution suffering problems including eye irritation.

Members of the public within half a kilometre of the factory were advised to close their doors and windows and stay inside until further notice.

Firefighters using breathing apparatus and wearing gas-tight suits isolated the valve where the leak occurred and at 10.30am the flow of gas appeared to have stopped.

Two fire service incident support units were also at the scene to help emergency services deal with the problem.

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Mansfield Road is currently closed from the B6059 to the A57 to all vehicles and pedestrians.

Residents living nearby were told at 10.50am the road had reopened.

Adrian Thrower, who lives on Mansfield Road, said: "Two police officers knocked on my door and said the area had been deemed safe again. The road had been closed for about two hours."

• Keep logging on to thestar.co.uk for updates on the incident.