Residents told to close doors, windows to block toxic fumes from fuel leak on Belgian motorway

9 Oct, 2019 09:32 / Updated 4 years ago

Belgian officials in Nimy, close to the French border, are warning residents to keep their doors and windows shut to block out the fumes from a spill of flammable liquid that happened on a nearby motorway overnight.

Part of the E19 highway near Nimy in Mons remains closed after a tanker truck turned over around 1:30am local time Wednesday, leaking its highly flammable load. Firefighters are using absorbent foam to clean up the site, according to local reports. 

In a Facebook post, the governor of the Province of Hainaut, Tommy Leclercq, and Mons Mayor Nicholas Martin urged people to keep away from the affected area, and that residents should stop ventilating their homes and cars for the time being.

“Firefighters, police and civil protection are mobilized on site to ensure security and stabilize the situation as soon as possible,” they said. The motorway is likely to remain closed until at least Wednesday afternoon.

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