Pollution Causes Water Cutoff in West France

Water supplies to about 200,000 people were cut off Friday after dangerous chemicals polluted the River Loire in western France, police said.

Police said the army had been called in to ensure emergency water supplies in this popular tourist area after water used to put out a fire in a chemicals factory was washed into the river. Water used to extinguish the fire had carried a toxic mixture of phenol, copper, sodium and chrome into the river and caused serious pollution, police added.