Poisonous gas leaks from Austrian woodworking firm

Police briefly evacuated a woodworking company in southern Austria early Monday and ordered residents living nearby to stay inside their homes with their windows shut after poisonous gas leaked from the factory, authorities said.

Photo: Poisonous gas leaks from Austrian woodworking firm

Officials initially described the gas as "highly toxic" and said it had posed a potentially deadly hazard to people in the town of Admont in the province of Styria, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) south of Vienna.

No injuries were reported, and authorities gave the all-clear about 90 minutes after evacuating the 440 employees of the STIA woodworking company.

Details on the exact nature of the gas involved in the incident were not immediately available.

Authorities said later that the substance was not as toxic as they initially suspected.