A MAJOR chemical alert was sparked by an alleged "road rage" incident involving two motorists on the slip road of the Haslingden by-pass.

Police were called to the A56 at 1pm yesterday after a member of the public called to say two drivers were fighting in the road.

The driver of a tanker carrying a toxic substance, which police believe to be copper chloride, then swerved and crashed.

Fire crews from Hyndburn, Haslingden and Rawtenstall rushed to the scene and called for a Chemical Incident Unit and ambulances after the tanker's load shifted, raising concerns that its contents were escaping. Two men were arrested at the scene and were being questioned by police in Burnley yesterday.

Assistant Divisional Officer, Neville Earnshaw, based at Rawtenstall Fire Station, said that a chemical disaster had narrowly been avoided.

He said: "This incident could have ended in fatalities and devastating consequences for the environment. Many innocent drivers could have been affected.

"What appears to have been a road rage incident could have ended in a major pile-up.

"The substance was extremely hazardous and it was lucky the drums were not damaged."

A firefighter from Rawtenstall who attended the scene confirmed that although the tanks had been crushed, they were still intact.

Police said the tanker driver and the drivers of a Vauxhall Omega and a Volvo also involved in the incident were not injured.

A police spokesman said: "The southbound slip road for Haslingden was closed until after 4pm - while we waited for the tanker to be taken away safely. Two men were arrested on the suspicion of assault and dangerous driving.

"We believe the substance was copper chloride and were anxious to prevent it entering the water table.

"It would have been extremely hazardous should it have escaped and could have had serious repercussions for the surrounding environment."

Low levels of copper are toxic to fungi, plants and algae, so it it important copper does not enter the water course. At a high level it is toxic to mammals.