Update (0915 EST): Cleveland police have confirmed there is no threat to the public after investigating the emission at the plant. They have also confirmed there are no injuries and the cloud is dissipating.
At approximately 0800 EST, initial reports indicated that a plume of orange smoke was floating over residences after reports of a chemical explosion at the CF Fertilizer plant in Billingham, United Kingdom. However, no credible reports of explosions have been confirmed by any authorities.
Nice plume of nasty looking stuff has just come out of Billingham Manufacturing Plant and now all the alarms are going off (and it isn’t 10am on a Tuesday). Close your windows and doors Billingham! @TeessideLive pic.twitter.com/6L4TO2NdWt
— gibgod (@gibgod) May 24, 2024
No e aky in billingham 7 mins ago pic.twitter.com/EhQ2pertLh
— sharon howells (@billysynners) May 24, 2024
According to eyewitnesses the staff at the plant have been placed into HAZMAT lockdown within the facility and emergency services are on scene with audible alarms emanating from the compound. However, this has not been confirmed by authorities.
It is important to note that in the last year, several fertilizer plants conducted approved emissions of Nitrogen Oxides which appear orange once it mixed with water particles in the air. These clouds usually dissipate without touching the ground, but inhalation of Nitrogen oxides can be deadly. The plant has not confirmed this is part of an approved emission, but similar situations in Tri Cities, Washington and New Albany also sparked alarm in the local community when fertilizer plants conducted approved emissions.
This is developing.
