Toxic cloud over five Spanish towns keeps residents indoors

More than 65,000 residents of five north-eastern towns in Spain were ordered to stay indoors for two hours after a chemical explosion at a warehouse spread a large, orange toxic cloud over the area.

“This is not a game,” Spain’s emergency services tweeted. “Don’t put yourself in danger to take pictures of the cloud outside.”

The blast occurred when products being delivered to a warehouse in the city of Igualada became mixed, exploded and set a truck on fire, according to a spokeswoman for Catalonia’s regional fire service. She said two people were slightly injured.

Firefighters said the chemicals were nitric acid and ferric chloride.

The region’s civil protection department ordered some 65,000 residents of Igualada and four nearby towns to stay indoors until the cloud dissipated.

The order was lifted two hours later but maintained for pregnant women, children, elderly people and those with respiratory problems.

Roads in and out of Igualada, located some 70km north-west of Barcelona, were cordoned off during the alert and people were urged not to place themselves in danger by taking photographs of the cloud.