VAPOUR from aluminium filings has been blamed for a major chemical alert at a Kelso engineering factory.
Specialised crews from Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service in Edinburgh joined colleagues from Kelso and Coldstream at Border Precision last Thursday morning.
The emergency services were called to the firm’s base on the Pinnacle Hill industrial estate and experts carried out an analytical risk assessment at the plant.
All risks were described as tolerable, but fire chiefs did discuss with the company’s engineers fears of a possible dangerous mix with oil.
However, fire crews stood down at around 1pm as Border Precision staff took over the handling of the situation.
Lothian and Borders Police officers also attended and a spokesman said the vapour was not a noxious gas.
Border Precision was founded in 1976 and in its 36 years of business has seen its workforce increase from 12 to 180 employees operating from an 80,000 square foot factory.