Arklow-Meadow

Nine people were still under observation in hospital in the run of Dec 5 after inhaling toxic fumes leaked from the "Arklow Meadow" docked at Warrenpoint. 18 crew members and staff of the port were treated at the scene after a pesticide on board the ship vaporised. Nine of the 18 casualties were brought to Daisy Hill hospital in Newry, which implemented its major incident plan. At the height of the alert, residents were evacuated and a 50 m exclusion zone around the vessel was extended, but these measures were later stood down. Louth County Council also put in place emergency measures in case the fumes drifted across Carlingford Lough into the Republic. The Newry and Mourne Council had implemented its emergency plan and made the town hall available. The "Arklow Meadow" was carrying grain and the pesticide aluminium phosphide. Report with video: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20613687

Police and emergency services on Dec 5, 2012, were dealing with a suspected toxic gas leak on the "Arklow Meadow" docked in Warrenpoint having come from Nikolayev with a cargo that had become wet and unstable, resulting in toxic gases being released. A 50 m cordon has been set up, and the ship is being held within this cordon. The cordon has been extended and a number of homes have been evacuated from Newry Street to the square after several people were suffering from the effects of exposure to the aluminium phosphide gas, on the whole there were 18 patients. Nine were taken to Daisy Hill Hospital and nine are treated at the scene before being transferred to Craigavon Area Hospital. The incident was reported to the ambulance service at 9.47am. The ambulance service deployed 15 vehicles: five accident and emergency ambulances, three hazardous area response teams, one paramedic rapid response vehicle, five ambulance officers, a doctor and an emergency equipment vehicle. Emergency services have gathered in the main square and the town hall has been made available if people have to be evacuated. A specialist large ambulance service truck was parked near the incident. Police in Northern Ireland have informed police in the Republic of the potential of the gas to drift across the border into Cooley Peninsula. AlP is used as a pesticide, insecticide, and fumigant for stored cereal grains. Police were advising nearby residents to close all windows and doors. Due to the north-east wind, residents in Omeath and Carlingford (across Carlingford Lough in the Irish Republic) were also being advised to close all windows and doors.