The well being authorities of Fukuyama, in Japan, warned the inhabitants concerning the presence of a doubtlessly lethal cat, which they need to not contact or strategy. “Do not touch the cat even if it seems normal.
Call the authorities,” they urged. It was found that the animal fell into a tank of hexavalent chromium, a highly acidic and carcinogenic chemical substance. The tank belongs to Nomura Plating Fukuyama, a metal coatings factory. The alarms went off when a factory worker found the orange footprints of an animal in the vicinity of the tank.
En fukuyama, Japón un gato se cayó a un tanque de residuos químicos (cromo hexavalente) y se transformo en un arma química andante
lo están buscando desesperados porque la exposición causa daño a los riñones, el hígado, ulceras en la piel y cáncer pic.twitter.com/Nb3xrmxw7K— ElBuni (@therealbuni) March 14, 2024
Given the suspicion, they reviewed the security cameras and confirmed the fact: the cat can clearly be seen fleeing from the tank towards the outside of the factory. “We immediately alerted the police, the city of Fukuyama and the neighbours near our factory,” the company said.
Hexavalent chromium, if touched or inhaled, can cause skin irritation, respiratory problems, kidney and liver damage, nasal and skin irritation and ulceration, eye damage, among others, so contact with the animal is a risk.
One of the most famous cases related to this substance was the dumping of 1.4 billion litters of contaminated water in Hinkley, California, in the 1950s. This is the case that inspired the film Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts.
Wanted dead or alive
The tank, more than two metres long and three metres deep, was covered at one of its vertices with a type of sheet that would have been turned over, leaving an open space for the animal to fall into the container. According to the AFP agency, Motonari Ibaraki, company spokesperson, said that “the incident awakened us to the need to take measures to prevent small animals such as cats from sneaking in, something we had never anticipated before.”
While the city’s Environmental Conservation Division continues to search for the animal, they warned residents not to approach the cat even if it appears normal. However, they also noted that it is likely that the animal died due to exposure to the toxic substance.
Although the cat’s fur may protect its skin from immediate serious burns, cats lick themselves clean, possibly causing them to ingest the toxic solution.
“My guess is that, unfortunately, he is dead or will die shortly due to chemical burns,” Linda Schenk, a researcher specialising in chemical danger evaluation on the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, instructed AFP.
Meanwhile, the cat could also be alive, or useless. In any case, will probably be vital to search out it in order that tranquility returns to the town.
