AN inquiry was under way today into claims that a dangerous toxic substance was left in a back street for two weeks before putting a dozen children in hospital.
Drums containing anhydrous caffeine, a white powder which can caused irreversible damage to the nervous system, major organs and respiratory system, were found in the Cleaver Street area of Burnley.
The substance is also known to be used in the "cutting'' or adulteration of illegal drugs.
Twelve youngsters aged from three to 15 have been detained in Burnley General Hospital for 48 hours for observation and were expected to be released later today.
Worried parents have called for an inquiry into why the chemical was not removed after being reported to the authorities two weeks ago.
Today council leader Stuart Caddy said: "I intend to launch an immediate inquiry."
"I am extremely concerned especially for the safety of the children.''
He said he wanted to know if there was a system in place to deal with complaints of this nature and if so what went wrong. He said he was sure that if the matter had been referred to the council's environmental health team, action would have been taken to have the substance removed.
Local man Paul Kirby said that after finding the white plastic containers in a bin liner in the back street behind his home in Ribblesdale Street a fortnight ago he told the police who advised him to inform the council.
He said someone at Burnley Town Hall told him to contact Lancashire County Council who referred him to UK Waste. After repeatedly being put through to a skip unit he gave up. The containers were taken from the back yard and found by the children in another back yard nearby.
The powder was later found strewn over 100 metres of a back street near Crowther Street. The area was cordoned off and an Operation Merlin major alert involving several agencies was brought into action. The children and their parents were ferried to nearby Burnley General Hospital in a fleet of ambulances.
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