Residents are as likely to be struck by lightning as killed in a port-related accident, an inquiry has heard.

It was the verdict of risk assessor John Clark into the safety of a proposed £300m container terminal at Bathside Bay.

Yesterday, he told a public inquiry that people living 1,000 metres away from the expansion faced a one in 15 million chance of a fatality every year.

He said: "I have three children and I would have no objection to living within 50 metres of the port.

"I'd have no personal issue with dangerous goods and after weighing up the situation I'd be quite happy."

Mr Clark, a trained chemical engineer, submitted written evidence showing the worst-case accident would be a spillage of bromine.

However, this was only predicted to occur once every 10,000 years.

But John Noble, of Harwich Fisheries Association, said many residents feared the prospect of a major industrial accident at the container terminal.

"When you say you're happy to live here it doesn't follow that the residents will be," he said.

The inquiry continues

Published Thursday July 29, 2004

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