Hydrochloric acid leak forces area shut down

A tanker leaking hydrochloric acid has caused quite a bit of havoc in Molenhoek, Limburg on Monday morning. The tanker is on an industrial estate on Bovensteweg, not far from Nijmegen. Emergency services have closed down the area, which is covered in a smoke cloud. The risk to public health is as of yet unclear, AD reports. A spokesperson for the fire department told the newspaper that the tanker contained about 20 cubic meters of hydrochloric acid. He could not say how serious the leak is. The fie department is trying to bring the smoke cloud to the ground with water. Transporter Veolia has stopped rail traffic between Cuijik-Mook and Molenhoek, as ordered by the police. NS expects that the trains will be able to travel that route again around 11:30 a.m. The Bovensteweg at the Eendracht'30 football club and the N271 has also been closed down.

Hulpdiensten slaan groot alarm om een tankwagen in Limburgse Molenhoek die zoutzuur lekt http://t.co/KIVg6SSTaI pic.twitter.com/tJwKUfFoH2

— AD.nl (@ADnl) August 31, 2015

https://twitter.com/Veolia_NL/status/638253460639645697

Groot ongeval Bovensteweg 56 Molenhoek betreft lekkende tankwagen met zoutzuur. Woordvoerder gaat ter plaatse.

— Brandweer Limburg-Noord (@brandweerln) August 31, 2015