THIS was the scene yesterday after a chemical alert was sparked at Wrexham Industrial Estate.

Three fire engines and the specialist chemical incident unit from Wrexham fire station were called after cleaning liquid was spilled at a food factory.

An ambulance crew was also on stand-by following the spill at Rowan Foods in Ash Road South just after 9am.

Crews spent just under two hours at the scene helping company staff to clear up the liquid, which the fire service says was not hazardous to the environment.

Rowan Foods, which produces ready-made meals for major retailers, said none of the workforce had to be evacuated.

A spokesman for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “We received a call to the factory at 9.12am.

“It was a chemical incident, involving 75 litres of a liquid which was a mixture of different chemicals.

“It was not a severe chemical and was equivalent to bleach and vinegar.

“We cordoned off the area and took advice from the factory’s own health and safety team. We also advised the Environment Agency, which is standard procedure.”

Simon Wright, the company's operations director, said: “We had a very small leak of a chemical in a protected area.

“The chemical is used in cleaning the factory. The incident was well under control.”

A spokeswoman for Environment Agency Wales confirmed it had been notified, adding: “The spillage was all contained and arrangements have been made for the waste to be safely removed from the site.”