Mayor apologises over spill alert

The apartment block was evacuated by the fire service

The mayor of Carrickfergus has apologised to residents of an apartment block evacuated after an alert over a chemical leak.

A concentrated detergent spilled at a council-owned store and 45 residents were kept away from their homes at Quayside apartments during the alert.

Three people were taken to hospital with breathing difficulties after coming into contact with the substance.

Carrickfergus Mayor David Hilditch said the substance was not toxic.

"It wasn't dangerous at all as it turns out, it was a concentrated cleaning detergent," Mr Hilditch said.

"There are no toxic materials stored there, they are in a special area."

The mayor offered "apologies all round" to the residents.

The substance had been in storage since the foot-and-mouth outbreak in 2001.

Mayor David Hilditch said no toxic chemicals at flats

Patsy Bell, chairman of the apartments' residents committee, said it was disappointing residents had not been informed the chemicals were being stored.

"The council need to be held to account as to why these chemicals were being kept here, why they hadn't been moved to a safe area," Mr Bell said.

"An accident like that wouldn't have happened if they were stored in a proper environment."

He said residents had been left to fend by themselves after the alert ended.

Six fire crews, including a specialist team from Belfast, were called to the area after the alert began at about 1630 BST on Wednesday.

Three people had to be washed down at the scene to have the chemicals removed from their clothes.

Residents were only allowed back to their homes later in the night after fire crews decontaminated the area.

Tents were used as part of the decontamination process

Maurice Rafferty from the Fire and Rescue Service said the spillage was dealt with by fire crews wearing specialised clothing.

"The fire service thought it essential that they should evacuate the property due to the high potential for the spread of these fumes," he said.

It is not thought the chemical spilled over into the sea.