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The fire brigade had previously attended the scene before the
call out and cordoned off the area to prevent passerby
approaching the drums of Xylene.
Xylene is a colourless, sweet smelling liquid that catches on
fire easily. It evaporates quickly from the soil and surface
water into the air. High exposure to Xylene vapours over short
periods of time can result in irritation of the skin, eyes, nose
and throat, difficulty in breathing; problems with the lungs;
delayed reaction times; memory difficulties; stomach discomfort;
and possibly changes in the liver and kidneys. it can cause
unconsciousness and even death at very high levels.
The use of breathing apparatus was a definite yes.
Our trained staff geared up in BA sets before approaching the
Xylene drums. The drums were contained in heavy duty plastic
bags and then secured in air tight containers ready for
transport to the final deposal point
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