A ROAD in Billinge, Blackburn, was closed for three hours while firefighters cleaned up a chemical spill caused by fly-tippers.

Crews were called to Lower Billinge Lane at 7.30pm yesterday by environmental health officers.

Sub-officer Tony Ashworth said they found a 45 gallon drum leaking an unknown substance in a car park.

He added: "The drum was on its side and the chemical was leaking from the top.

"There was no identification on the drum which caused us some problems and we had to treat it as the worst case scenario."

Fire personnel wearing chemical protection suits lifted the drum upright before sealing it in a special receptacle to be taken away by environmental health staff and analysed.

Around 35 officers were involved in making the area safe.

Sub-officer Ashworth said: "The drum had obviously been dumped by the worst kind of fly tippers who put the public and firefighters at risk.

"We cannot emphasise enough that the correct procedure should be followed where chemicals are concerned.

"That procedure is to ring environmental health who will come out and give advice on how to dispose of it."

Michael Holden, a resident of Under Billinge Lane, said: "This is the second time in three months this has happened.

"The people who dumped this are very irresponsible."