BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton

Subject: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 12:48 PM

This kind of thing makes me so mad. Probably by bored delinquent yoofs. Just today:

Following an arson attck on a warehouse in Ettingshall just outside of Wolverhampton a large qualntity of spillage into the BCN (Birmingham Canal Navigation) main line has occurred. This has included oils, thinners, solvents and shampoo plus aerosol contents.

This has killed tens of thousands of fish, it has affected ducks and swans and anything that has been in contact with the water.

British Waterways have today removed over 800 pounds of dead fish alone from the canal stretching from Ettingshall to Bentley bridge.

It is a very sad sight as the waters here were crystal clear and teeming with life. Some boys at Bentley Bridge had rescued a squirrel which had been drinking and then collapsed, sadly it died on the towpath a few minutes later.

There are reports of Swans in distress in March End Wednesfield too.

The BW lads have done a hard days work today and I must say they looked very upset at the days events, one showed locals a picture they had taken of 16 huge sacks being stored in the council freezer for incineration.

One of the great attractions of the canal in this area was the wildlife and fishing, as one BW man said "it will take years to repair this damage".

Restrictions are in place on the Wolverhampton 21. Boating in this area over the next few days will not give you a pretty picture to remember.

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: BTNG
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 01:01 PM

Catch these yobbos and put them to work on the clean up, so shall ye sow, so shall ye reap

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: gnu
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 01:15 PM

Oh my. Oh dear! How terrible.

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: Arthur_itus
Date: 05 Oct 11 - 04:31 PM

Bastards. make em drink the water.

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: bubblyrat
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 04:07 AM

No! No ! No ! You can't FORCE these poor , deprived , disadvantaged people to clear up after , or in any way atone for , their dreadful behaviour -- it would probably contravene their "Human Rights" . Rather , we must offer them help ,and counselling , and support ,and love , and financial aid at what , for them , must be a terrible time.Any act, deed , or even thought or emotion that might even HINT at punishment or retribution must be suppressed in the interests of civilised human behaviour and tolerance , although personally I'd lock 'em up for five years on a diet of bread & water, and no visitors , but then I'm wicked and evil ! O Tempora ! O Mores ! O Dear Me !

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 05:11 AM

Shame and humiliation are powerful and effective teachers. People should clean up their own messes no matter the scale. When it becomes criminal damage, punishment should be an opportunity for correction and education.
A sign on the work site indicating that the cleanup is being done by the perpetrators may provoke derisive remarks by passersby, but this is part of the correction component. First hand experience of the damage caused by clearing away dead fish and fowl adds an important education element.

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: theleveller
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 05:27 AM

"Probably by bored delinquent yoofs"

How do you know this? Typically, someone starts a rumour on Mudcat and the usual drain-dead lynch mob comes out with its sadistic rantings. Fuck the facts, let's just put the blame on the first group we have a grudge against. TWATS!

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: theleveller
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 05:34 AM

From The Birmingham Mail:


"West Midlands Fire Service said all of the single-storey brick-built building was alight at the height of the blaze but THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN"

Now anyone else got a group they'd like to pin the blame on: immigrants? the unemployed? Asians? ____________?(insert your own prejudice here)

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 06:01 AM

According to the Arson Control Forum (I couldn't get the PDF link to work so google it if you want more details)

"Most arson appears to be committed by a minority of prolific offenders, many of whom are under 18 and also commit other offences. It has this in common with other types of crime and anti-social behaviour"

Firesetting is quite prevalent among young males and probably naturally so. Who has not personally known at least one pyromaniac. Mix this natural attraction with poor education, low social skills, broken homes, substance abuse and all the other ills that afflict the poor and disenfranchised and you get a high proportion of firesetting / arson incidents instigated by young males.   

theleveller Do you believe the arson might have been industry instigated? Please tell us your thoughts.

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 06:02 AM

oh dear... cross posted. Sorry didn't see last. mea culpa.. Didn't know the cause of blaze was unknown.

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: theleveller
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 08:05 AM

VT, I have no idea and don't have the information to surmise. If this fire was started deliberately then the perpetrators deserve utter condemnation. If it was an accident, the company needs to be investigated and, if found negligent, subjected to the powers of the law. Close to where I used to lived the Croda factory regularly exploded and it was never deliberate.

What I'm condemning is those (not you, I hasten to add) who have made an incontinent and reactionary response without even bothering to check the facts. It's this unthinking attitude that makes them prime fodder for far-right groups whose names I'm not allowed to mention and who, let's face it, pose a danger to any law-abiding citizens who they set their hate-sights on.

"Who has not personally known at least one pyromaniac" Well, me for a start.

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 08:14 AM

The closest (AFAIK) I get is if listening to the Prodigy.

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 11:55 AM

Good for you, leveller. The cause of the blaze won't be known until the ashes have cooled enough for an investigation.

Besides the mindless thrill of the arsonist, other causes might be 1) failure to follow safe practices on the part of labor or management or 2) organized crime.

If it was a really old building, some old wood might simply have started burning from spontaneous combustion.

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: BTNG
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 12:02 PM

at no point has anyone said it was arson, the word probably was used, not the word definitely, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was those poor little darlings

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 01:23 PM

It could also have been an insurance job - but we don't know, at least yet.

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: BTNG
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 01:53 PM

Richard, when you mentioned insurance job, it bought to mind a cerain Canadian company who indeed did just that, because of a short fall in funding for project they had on the go at the time...but as you say, in this case, we have to wait and see

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Oct 11 - 01:58 PM

The fire was last month on 26th September.

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 07 Oct 11 - 01:20 PM

And this report dated 28th September says

"Police say the fire was started by two people seen running from the scene."

Subject: RE: BS: Major pollution disaster - Wolverhampton
From: BTNG
Date: 07 Oct 11 - 01:23 PM

"Police say the fire was started by two people seen running from the scene."

hmmm...sounds like arson to me
so "leveller" what do you think now...fact or rumour?