Emergency services battle huge tide of toxic sludge

The accident happened in Ajka, in Hungary, yesterday (October 5) and has left the country’s emergency services literally swamped as they attempt to deal with the leak.

Hungary has declared a state of emergency as the sludge, estimated to be roughly enough to fill 440 Olympic sized swimming pools, poured from a Communist-era aluminium factory.

The Hungarian Government believes four people have been killed in what it has branded an ‘ecological disaster’ and more than 120 injured in the accident as the sludge has spread for about 15 miles from the reservoir.

The dead, two women, a young man and a 3-year-old child, were killed when they came into contact with the sludge which is also reported to have burned dozens more people.

There are also fears the River Danube, some 45 miles away from the accident, could be threatened by the leak.

Luke Walsh