Tokyo, March 12: A lost cat that slipped into a vat of hazardous chemicals and fled into the night has left residents of a city in western Japan warned not to approach or touch it. When the workers at a Fukuyama metal plating facility arrived at work on Monday, March 11,  the company said that they saw cat paw prints extending out from the container. The firm has revealed grainy security camera footage of the furry escapee leaving the workplace, seemingly unscathed.

Three metres (10 feet) down, the vat contained hexavalent chromium, a carcinogenic substance that can cause skin irritation. Gujarat Gas Leak: Four Workers Hospitalised After Inhaling Toxic Gas at Pharma Chemical Factory in Vadodara.

We immediately alerted the police, Fukuyama city, and neighbours near our factory, and a company spokesperson told the local media. He added that the occurrence would make us realise how important it is to take precautions against tiny animals like cats slipping in. Meanwhile, locals were instructed by the local authorities to stay away from the animal and to call the police right away if they saw it. Tamil Nadu: Acid Tank at Ranipet Chemical Factory Bursts Open, No Casualties Reported.

However, if reports are to be believed, no sightings of the particular cat have been reported so far. Moreover, the factory manager told Flash that the company recieved over a dozen complaints from irate locals criticising the business for not doing enough to keep the cat away from the chemical. Social media users were outraged by the occurrence as well, accusing the corporation of being implicated in what most people believe to be the cat's death and neglecting to take the necessary safety measures.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 12, 2024 04:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).