This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25686048
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| West Virginia chemical spill creates water warning | West Virginia chemical spill creates water warning |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| About 300,000 people in the US state of West Virginia have been warned not to drink tap water after a chemical spill into a river near the state capital. | |
| The water advisory closed schools and business in nine counties, and cancelled a state legislative session. | The water advisory closed schools and business in nine counties, and cancelled a state legislative session. |
| A foaming agent used in the coal preparation process leaked from a tank at Freedom Industries on Thursday. | A foaming agent used in the coal preparation process leaked from a tank at Freedom Industries on Thursday. |
| Officials said it was unclear how dangerous the spill was but had declared a water advisory to be safe. | Officials said it was unclear how dangerous the spill was but had declared a water advisory to be safe. |
| "Until we get out and flush the actual system and do more testing, we can't say how long this will last at this time," water company president Jeff McIntyre told the Associated Press news agency. | "Until we get out and flush the actual system and do more testing, we can't say how long this will last at this time," water company president Jeff McIntyre told the Associated Press news agency. |
| President Barack Obama has accepted West Virginia's request for a disaster declaration, which allows federal aid to be used. | President Barack Obama has accepted West Virginia's request for a disaster declaration, which allows federal aid to be used. |
| The West Virginia National Guard planned on Friday to deliver bottled water to emergency services agencies. | The West Virginia National Guard planned on Friday to deliver bottled water to emergency services agencies. |
| At a store in Charleston, a police officer stood guard as shoppers stocked up on bottled water, according to the Charleston Gazette newspaper. | |
| "People have been grabbing it like crazy," Kerstin Halstead told the Gazette. "Some people were getting - well, they could have shared more." | "People have been grabbing it like crazy," Kerstin Halstead told the Gazette. "Some people were getting - well, they could have shared more." |
| The spill was first found after the state's environmental protection department received a report of a strange odour near the Elk river on Thursday. | The spill was first found after the state's environmental protection department received a report of a strange odour near the Elk river on Thursday. |
| Officials found a leaking storage unit, a spokesman said. The spill had overrun a containment area and leaked into the river. | Officials found a leaking storage unit, a spokesman said. The spill had overrun a containment area and leaked into the river. |