Chemical spill could take days to clean up in West Virginia

Due to an accidental chemical spill by a Charleston company, many West Virginians are without water, and have been without for three days.

Residents started complaining about a bad odor that spelled like licorice. The smell was caused by a chemical called 4-methycyclohexane methanol that leaked into the Elk River from a 40 gallon tank owned by Freedom Industries, according to the AP.

According to Reuters , Governor Earl Ray Tomblin declared a state emergency for nine counties on Friday. These counties include : Kanawha, Clay, Lincoln, Putnam, Boone, Jackson, Logan, and Roane.

Drinking this water is harmful. The State Journal says that the total numbers of calls to the Poison Control are over 1,000. Symptoms can include, but are not limited to rashes, burning sensation, and nausea. Some who have experienced the burning sensations have not called Poison Control.

Unfortunately, cleaning up this chemical spill will take days. There are employees working to get the water flushed out, and drinkable again.

Photo Courtesy of WikiMedia Commons