A huge fire that destroyed two warehouses in the Bilston area of Wolverhampton has caused the deaths of thousands of fish in nearby canals.
The fire, which is being treated as arson, caused a number of toxic chemicals to be washed into the Birmingham and Wyrley and Essington canals, leading to a dramatic drop in oxygen levels in over three miles of the waterway and despite the efforts of the Environment Agency (E.A.) and British Waterways is still spreading.
The warehouses contained aerosols, detergents, paints, oils and thinners as well as shampoos and this deadly chemical cocktail is proving hard to deal with as much of it is dissolved within the water.
The E.A. is currently aerating the affected canals at several points in an effort to contain the problem and prevent further fish mortality, while at the same time continuing to monitor and test the water. So far an estimated 5,000 fish have succumbed to the pollution.
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