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A major London hospital has been forced to evacuate 150 people after a “chemical explosion” left one injured and hospitalised several others.
Firefighters rushed to Guy’s Hospital, Southwark, after a botched chemical reaction caused a chlorine gas leak on Friday morning.
Chlorine gas was used as a weapon in the First World War and can cause severe lung damage, such as toxic pneumonitis or pulmonary edema.
A police officer at the scene said a hospital engineer “accidentally mixed chlorine with sulphuric acid, and it totally exploded.”
Ronald Gilchrist, 50, told the Daily Express he was visiting his girlfriend in hospital when alarms started going off inside the building.
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People were evacuated from the ground floor and basement of Guy’s Hospital in London (Alamy/PA)
“They didn’t explain what was going on. Because I knew someone that worked at the hospital that’s how I found out. It wasn’t chaos, everyone was just told to leave outside,” he said.
Dramatic images show crowds of people outside the building, with an elderly woman with a walking stick seen being escorted by a firefighter in one.
An eyewitness said she has seen “people covered with wet towels and blankets” amid multiple emergency services vehicles and cordons that have been put in place.
Philippa Garrott told the Daily Express: “I saw several fire engines and ambulances parked outside the Shard exit of London Bridge Station this morning, at about 9.45am.
“All of Guy’s Hospital staff appeared to have been evacuated out onto St Thomas Street, and there were various police/fire cordons in place. Someone appeared to be covered with wet towels and blankets.
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Dramatic images show crowds of people outside the building following the ‘chemical explosion’ (X/@mindurown41)
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “The incident is believed to have been caused by the mixing of chemicals inside a plant room which produced a chlorine gas.
One person was injured as a result of a chemical reaction. Several people, who came to the aid of the person, have been treated for the inhalation of chlorine gas.
“Firefighters have carried out a sweep of the area to check for no elevated readings of chlorine gas. The building has also been ventilated.
“Crews also supported with the precautionary evacuation of the basement and ground floors of the building.
“Two fire engines, two Fire Rescue Units, a Command Unit and specialist hazardous materials officers attended the scene.”