Hungary has declared a state of emergency in three western counties after sludge from an alumina plant killed four people and injured 120. The red chemical sludge flooded out of a burst dam, affecting at least seven villages and towns including Devecser...The sludge is said to contain caustic material and to be toxic if ingested...The sludge escaped from a reservoir at the Ajkai Timfoldgyar plant in the town of Ajka. Police say they have confiscated documents from the company's headquarters. MAL Rt [Magyar Aluminium], the Hungarian company which owns the plant, said that, by EU standards, the sludge had not been considered hazardous. There had been no sign of the impending disaster and the last examination of the reservoir pond on Monday had shown nothing untoward, it added. It said it believed the company management "could not have noticed the signs of the natural catastrophe nor done anything to prevent it even while carefully respecting technological procedures".