The combination of heavy rains and a tanker leak triggered a surreal emergency in a residential district of Moscow this weekend, as six tons of glue poured over more than 22 private residences.
While rescue workers rushed to contain the flow, the glue spread to an area of about 1,000 meters and contaminated wells in Kryokshino, a small town in the New Moscow region, RIA Novosti reported Sunday.
The adhesive, an analogue of the widely-used PVA glue, is non-toxic and poses no danger to people or animals, rescue workers said.
The leak occurred Friday while a tanker was delivering the compound to a factory operated by Soyuzpak, a manufacturer of tape and other packing materials.
The greatest risk to residents was posed not by the compound itself, but by the disabled wells.
"First of all we focused our efforts on the delivery of clean drinking water, we brought 500 liters of bottled water here. Plus we brought two cars with water," the head of the Emergency Situations Ministry's local branch said.
The affected homeowners are planning to sue the Soyuzpak factory.
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