Emergency services were called to a housing estate in Ennis yesterday evening following reports of a chemical incident.
An area at the Lios Árd estate was cordoned off and an abandoned 30 litre drum was inspected.
At around 6pm on Friday evening, emergency services in Ennis responded to a call from a member of the public who reported finding a 30-litre drum in a green area in the Lios Árd estate on the outskirts of the town.
The woman, who had been out walking in the area at the time, noticed the black drum and approached it.
It is understood she got an odour from the drum and called the emergency services believing it to be potentially dangerous.
Units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Ennis station responded along with local Gardaí to what was reported as a ‘hazmat’ or hazardous materials incident.
On arrival, fire crews quickly cordoned off a large section of the green until the drum could be inspected. It was established that it contained Sodium Hypochlorite also known as bleach and considered a ‘dangerous and corrosive’ substance.
When fire crews were cleared to inspect the drum more closely, they found it was almost empty. The drum was placed in a larger protective container and safely removed from the scene.
It’s understood that arrangements will be made to dispose of the drum. It’s not known how long the drum was at the location or where it originated.
