Fish dead

The heavy rain was to blame for the foam in the Krems river

Some fish died due to the lack of oxygen (symbolic image)

(Bild: P. Huber)

On Sunday evening, waste water in Nettingsdorf polluted the Lahnbach and subsequently the Krems. The wastewater had apparently entered the mill canal due to damage caused by heavy rainfall at Smurfit Kappa, the former Nettingsdorf paper mill. The foam temporarily deprived the stream of oxygen, which killed some small fish, explained Martin Etzelsdorfer, Head of the Department for Water and Environmental Law at the Linz-Land BH.

Six fire departments were deployed into the night and set up oil barriers to contain the foam and prevent it from spreading. There was no danger to human health at any time, emphasized Etzelsdorfer, who was on site as incident commander. There was also no lasting damage to the environment, according to a statement from the municipality of Ansfelden.

Possible administrative criminal proceedings
The aftercare is being coordinated with Smurfit Kappa, according to Etzelsdorfer. Heavy rainfall is considered to be the cause of the wastewater leak, but the initiation of administrative penal proceedings is to be examined. 

"Nothing tragic"
Several fire departments were deployed on Sunday evening in the Upper Austrian central region due to the heavy rainfall, but there was "nothing tragic", according to the provincial fire department command.