RESIDENTS were assured there are no long-term health effects from a cloud of irritant acidic gases despite claims to the contrary at a public meeting.

More than 70 people attended the meeting in Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre last night, called by Hyndburn Council in the wake of last month's leak from Nipa Laboratories.

The Environment Agency and Health and Safety Executives are still carrying out a joint investigation into the escape of steam and acid gases from the Nook Lane plant, which left residents complaining of sore throats and stinging eyes.

Tim Beale, from the HSE, admitted that while the site was fairly high up their priority list every single plant at Nipa had not been inspected in detail in the last couple of years.

He said it was the company's responsibility to manage its activities and inspections were done on a sample basis.

Barry Bolton, of Cardigan Avenue, said his wife had to go on antibiotics for a throat inflammation and had taken 20 days to recover. Eric Walker, of Kingfisher Court, said there should have been fail safe devices to prevent a vessel being over-filled.

He added: "Its time you made sure Oswaldtwistle never gets covered in a dense cloud of poison fumes like it did."

Environment Agency Inspector John Isherwood said there was now a fail safe system in place and another on top in case the first one failed.

Nipa site director, Armas Best, admitted things had gone wrong that night but said he was unable to go into detail because of the on-going investigation.

When one resident claimed Chernobyl could happen in Oswaldtwistle, Mr Best said the plant did not have that potential and he did not want people frightened.

Residents wanted to know what time the incident started, when emergency services were informed what chemicals were involved, and what time police started broadcasting messages for local residents to stay indoors and close windows. They were told the first call about the incident was received from a member of the public at Accrington police station at 11.05pm.

At 12.15am, based on information from the fire brigade who were liaising with factory management, police started broadcasting public address system messages.

Mr Best confirmed that the incident started around 10.15pm.

Around 10.50pm when fumes started to come out of the building the shift manager decided to call for the emergency services but could already hear them coming by the time he made his arrangements to phone. Mr Best said the shift manager advised the fire brigade of what he knew.

He added: "It will become somewhat clearer when full details are available to everybody why perhaps he did not know quite as much as we know now."

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