clarinews@clarinet.com (Whitehead/Standard Broadcast Wire) (02/01/90)
(BELLEVILLE, Ont.) An explosion and fire have forced the evacuation of an industrial area of Belleville, Ontario. The city's fire department says it has the blaze under control at the Dussek Campbell Chemical Company (on Station Street). Several workers escaped the explosion and there appear to be no injuries. Reports say employees were handling the metal manganese which is highly volatile when mixed with water. Officials of the environment ministry spills division have been despatched from Kingston. Dussek Campbell is located in an industrial section of northwest Belleville. Among the buildings cleared is the nearby railway station.