Winelands farms evacuated after nearby chemical spill
The precautionary measures were taken after a sulphuric acid leak at a company linked to the defence industry
Authorities evacuated farms within a 3km radius of a dangerous chemical spill at a company in the Cape Winelands on Thursday. The evacuation was carried out as a safety precaution in case the sulphuric acid formed a gas cloud carried by the wind. Cape Winelands fire chief Danie Wilds said the leak occurred 20km from the town of Wellington and the evacuation measures only applied to surrounding farms and not large residential areas. "The situation is stable at the moment but as a precaution we have evacuated a 3km radius from the premises. This is standard procedure," he said. The company‚ linked to the defence industry‚ was not immediately available for comment.
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