RESIDENTS were urged to stay in their homes after a chemical reaction at a factory sent clouds of industrial methylated spirits into the air.

A fire brigade spokeswoman said the incident at Baxenden Chemicals, Rising Bridge, was sparked by a reaction in an acrylic polymerisation plant at 5.10pm last night.

She added: "Because of the change in temperature it was feared that the methylated spirits could have become inflammable.

"Firefighters remained on stand-by until it cooled down."

Staff at nearby wholesale bakers, W. Holland and Sons, were unaware of the incident.

Spokeswoman Dilys Day said: "We certainly didn't have to evacuate the building because we didn't know anything about it."

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