About 90kg of dead fish have been removed from a canal in the West Midlands following a chemical spill. 

Walsall Council said “significant numbers” of fish in the canal had been killed after elevated levels of chemicals including sodium cyanide and zinc cyanide were found in one section of the water.

Exposure to sodium cyanide can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, confusion, changes in heart rate, loss of consciousness and can be fatal in high enough concentrations.

Last week, Anochrome Ltd, a supplier of specialist surface coatings and other services, said it was responsible for the spill after an incident at its site in Walsall early on 12 August.

A major incident was declared in an attempt to contain the spill, involving police, the fire service, the Canal and Rivers Trust and Severn Trent Water, but 300m of the water was impacted, the local council said in an update on Monday.

“There have been significant numbers of fish killed, but the impact on the wider ecology is not yet known,” the council said.

“Our priority continues to be the safety of our residents and canal users. Local, regional and national agencies are working together to minimise the potential risk to health following the spillage.”

The Canal and River Trust – which has started a fundraiser to save the wildlife in the area – said otters and water voles which live in or near the canal could also be at risk.

Thorough testing has taken place within a 12-mile stretch of the canal, but one section – from James Bridge on Bentley Mill Way in Darlaston to Rollingmill Street, Walsall to the east – remains closed until further notice, the council said.

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Temporary dams have been installed at each end of what the council referred to as the “restricted red zone” and the public are being reminded not to remove or eat any of the fish from the water.

The council said normal activities can resume outside the 1km restricted area, where lab testing shows the water quality is within public health guidelines.

The fish that died have been disposed of, and Anochrome Ltd and the Environment Agency are leading an urgent investigation into how the spill occurred, the council said.

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