Toxic spill at Israel's Ben-Gurion airport, 3 hurt

JERUSALEM, Sep 11 (Reuters) Firefighters and hazardous material teams went into action at Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport today after a toxic substance spilled while being loaded onto a plane, officials said.

Zeev Sarig, director of operations at Ben-Gurion, outside Tel Aviv, described the substance as a fertilizer ingredient bound for the Czech Republic.

''One of the porters noticed an acrid smell and activated the appropriate (emergency) drill,'' Sarid told Israel's Army Radio.

''The spill was located immediately and we took no chances.'' An Israeli police spokesman said that though containment efforts were still under way, elsewhere at Ben-Gurion work was continuing as usual. The spill was being treated as an accident, police said.

Army Radio said three porters were hospitalised but described their condition as satisfactory.

Israeli media described the plane affected by the spill as belonging to Czech Airlines.

Reuters PJ GC1139