A major London hospital has been forced to evacuate 150 people after a suspected chemical incident and an “explosion” that has left some in hospital, according to reports.
Firefighters rushed to Guy’s Hospital in Southwark after they were first called shortly before 9am on Thursday.
Crews carried out operations to ventilate the building, while patients and medical staff were evacuated from the basement and ground floor of the hospital.
A police officer told The Sun at the scene: “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.”
Another officer told the newspaper: “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.”
He also said that an unknown number of people had been taken to hospital as a result.
A man, who was among those who had been evacuated, told The Sun: “There was some kind of acid explosion. But I don’t really know for sure.”
Ronald Gilchrist, 50, told the newspaper he was visiting his girlfriend in hospital when alarms started going off inside the buildings in “alarming” scenes.
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/blankets” amid multiple emergency services vehicles and cordons that have been put in place.
Philippa Garrott told the 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/blankets, but I couldn’t see properly.”
In an update, the London Fire Brigade said the incident was over for firefighters just after 11am.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Firefighters responded to reports of a chemical incident at Guy’s Hospital.
“Two fire engines, two Fire Rescue Units, a Command Unit and specialist hazardous materials officers attended the scene. Crews carried out operations to ventilate the building and supported the precautionary evacuation of the basement and ground floor levels of the hospital.
“The Brigade was first called about the incident at 8.49am, with crews from Whitechapel, Dowgate, Euston and surrounding fire stations sent to the scene. The incident was over for firefighters by 11.09am.”
Guy’s is a major elective centre with 400 beds, specialising in cancer, kidney, urology and dental care, as well as ear, nose and throat and orthopaedics.
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