11 Jan 2014

Water warning issued after chemical leak

7:57 am on 11 January 2014

About 300,000 people in the US state of West Virginia have been warned not to drink tap water after a chemical leak into a river near the state capital. Schools and businesses were closed in nine counties.

A foaming agent used in the coal preparation process leaked from a tank at Freedom Industries.

The BBC reports the spill was found after the state environmental protection department received a report of a strange odour near the Elk river on Thursday.

Officials found a storage unit which had leaked into the river.