Gas cloud from chemical fire
N2.PA-AAP Sydney A cloud of noxious gas is heading for New Zealand after a week-end chemical dump fire near Wyong, north of Sydney, an Australian Democrat, Ms Elizabeth Kirkby, said yesterday. There were fears the cloud had not dissipated and was heading across the Tasman Sea, a spokesman for Ms Kirkby said. However, the gas is expected to disperse over the Tasman, according to New Zealand sources. About 20,000 drums of chemicals burnt for 24 hours after a fire raged out. of control on Saturday. The police believed the fire was deliberately lit in the waste dump, which is in an area known as Parrys
Airfield. The dump has caused much local controversy since the stockpile was started in 1981.
Ms Kirkby said she would like to know why the State Pollution, Control Commission allowed the chemicals to be stored, surrounded only by earthem embankments, for so long. The fire was too fierce for firefighters, who allowed it to burn itself out A spokesman for the Weather Office said the cloud would be well dispersed by the time it got to New Zealand. “The jet stream between here and Australia would disperse it” Once dispersed, the gases were unlikely to have any effect he said.
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Press, 24 December 1985, Page 4
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210Gas cloud from chemical fire Press, 24 December 1985, Page 4
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