A MAJOR London hospital has been evacuated over a chemical incident as huge crowds can be seen lining the streets outside.
Emergency services say around 150 people were evacuated from the hospital’s basement and ground floors by firefighters and hospital staff.
GettyGuy’s Hospital in London has been evacuated this morning due to a “chemical incident”[/caption]
Crowds of people lined the street outside the hospital and London Bridge station
London Fire Brigade raced to the hospital after receiving reports of a chemical incident at 8.49am this morning.
Two fire engines, two Fire Rescue Units, a Command Unit and specialist hazardous materials officers were sent to the scene.
In dramatic footage posted to social media, patients were filmed being escorted from Guy’s Hospital in Southwark.
Images also show crowds of people lining the pavements outside the hospital and London Bridge train station.
A police officer at the scene told The Sun: “There was a chemical leak in the basement of Guy’s hospital. It’s just reopened now.
“One of the engineers accidentally mixed chlorine with sulphuric acid, and it totally exploded.”
“There’s been a chemical spill in the basement that was potentially quite dangerous. But it’s all been cleared and it’s absolutely no risk to anybody,” another police officer added.
He confirmed that there had been people taken to hospital but didn’t know how many.
One man who had been evacuated said: “There was some kind of acid explosion. But I don’t really know for sure.”
A member of the Ambulance service said the incident has now been resolved and they are “standing down”.
Ambulances and police vehicles are currently clearing out of the area.
In a statement earlier this morning, London Fire Brigade said: “Firefighters are responding to reports of a chemical incident at Guys Hospital.
“Two fire engines, two Fire Rescue Units, a Command Unit and specialist hazardous materials officers have been sent to the scene.
“Crews are carrying out operations to ventilate the building.
“Around 150 people have been evacuated from the basement and ground floor levels of the hospital by firefighters and hospital staff.
“The Brigade was first called about the incident at 0849, with crews from Whitechapel, Dowgate, Euston and surrounding fire stations sent to the scene.”
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