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Forth Road Bridge reopens after chemical scare



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Published Date: 17 April 2008
By MARK McLAUGHLIN
THE Forth Road Bridge has fully reopened after a van carrying flammable chemicals overturned.
Nobody was injured in the incident, which left the bridge completely closed for several hours. The blockage caused long tailbacks to build up on either side of the Forth.

The northbound van overturned following a collision with a crash barrier erected by workmen on the inside lane just after 12pm.

A spokesman for Fife Police said: "The driver is shaken but unharmed. When police arrived he was outside the vehicle and walking around.

"We do not yet know what caused him to hit the crash barrier."

Police arrived within minutes and, after discovering the vehicle contained hazardous chemicals, requested back up from fire crews.

Crews entered the van at around 1.30pm and discovered that the chemical drums were undamaged.

A spokesman for bridge operator FETA said earlier today: "The van has been successfully recovered and I'm just waiting for the all clear to reopen the bridge.

"I'm not sure what kind of material the van was carrying but there were stickers on the drums marked 'flammable'."

• www.forthbridges.org.uk

The full article contains 193 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 17 April 2008 3:30 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Forth Bridges
 
1

,

17/04/2008 14:02:56
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
2

Pol,

edinburgh 17/04/2008 14:09:28
The workaround for incidents like this will be easy in a number of years time as the high-sided vehicles can just use the tunnel and not be susceptible to the high winds...oh...wait a minute...
3

JulesF,

17/04/2008 14:11:04
Bound to have been something FETA did or didn't do !
It's always their fault!
4

Dunc,

Edinburgh 17/04/2008 14:42:41
Perhaps they should include an overturning vehicle thrill ride in the new hi-tech Forth Bridge Visitor Centre?
5

Venachar,

17/04/2008 14:50:01
The dumb dumb probably couldn't read the lane width notices and hit the barrier for the bus lane project!!

Should get all those experts in Fife for the day to clear it up. Three hours and still blocked - with no information except that it is closed indefinitely.
That is not very usefull for everyone who has to get back across to Fife this evening.

FETA try making a decision without forming committee, get the road clear and let people know about it.

Here is a tip - build a bloody tunnel.
6

D Napier,

17/04/2008 14:58:01
#5 Venacher. If this incident had happened in a tunnel then the reaction would have been far greater than what happened today.

A road accident coupled to a potential chemical spill in a tunnel - now that is scary!!!!

Bring on the new bridge.
7

Incandescent,

17/04/2008 15:02:45
#6 Ho bloody hum! Appropriate though that trolls are said to live under bridges.
8

Auld Twa,

Edinburgh 17/04/2008 15:06:38
Open again at 3pm by the looks of it.
9

Velcro,

17/04/2008 15:12:15
But the trolls have been abolished???
10

Billy Bob Jnr,

17/04/2008 15:26:25
#2 A load with flammable chemicals wouldn't be allowed through a tunnel anyway.
11

Venachar,

17/04/2008 15:27:57
#6 D Napier

Your fav subject methinks. You've been watching too many Sly Stallone movies.
Try being stuck either way via Kincardine or over the Forth bridge as many of us have over the last year.
At least someone during the resurfacing postponed the closure of the northbound carriage way after an accident,to clear the backlog, still didn't get home till 9pm that night, left the office at 5pm.

Not enough information given to the public.
12

apnet,

17/04/2008 15:41:17
http://www.feta.gov.uk's "Incident on bridge" is all we get. You have to go hunting on the Internet for information. And of course as soon as something happens the FETA website goes down. Must be hosted on some home PC!!!
13

JulesF,

17/04/2008 15:46:56
#12 it was hosted on a server in the toll-booths now it's on a PC in the office.
14

apnet,

17/04/2008 15:55:34
And the info we do manage to scrape together is unclear. FETA's prime directive is "Keep it vague".
15

badger464,

17/04/2008 17:35:29
pity the chemical wasn't rust-eater ;)
16

,

17/04/2008 20:23:43
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
17

D Napier,

17/04/2008 20:38:01
#11. I'd still rather be stuck on a bridge or its approaches rather than in a tunnel.

I have been stuck as you obviously have.

From what I've heard, the majority of the delay in clearing this incident today was waiting for the fire brigade to give the all clear that the containers in the back of the van were intact.

Surely its better to wait and get accurate information rather than give out a false impression that things will be cleared sooner which then causes more problems. It's a fine balance me thinks.

 

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