Emergency services scrambled to hospital over 'chemical leak' fears

23 November 2023 , 13:15

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Emergency services rushed to Kidderminster Hospital today

Ambulances and firefighters rushed to Kidderminster Hospital this morning following unconfirmed reports of a "chemical leak".

Part of the hospital was evacuated but the incident was resolved in less than three hours. Witnesses said officers had been seen on nearby Crescent Road following the incident, adding that the road had been closed in both directions. A person said: "Incident: Crescent Road Kidderminster is shut in both directions due to an ongoing incident HWFRS ambulance and police are on scene. Unknown the type of incident but multiple crews on scene."

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service urged people to "avoid the area". A fire service spokesman said: "Six Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crews – two from Wyre Forest, two from Bromsgrove and one each from Worcester and Malvern Fire Stations – plus the environmental protection unit from Tenbury Wells and the incident command unit from Ledbury were called at 10:37 on 23 November to Kidderminster General Hospital to assist with a hazardous materials incident.

"Crews were required to deal with a chemical leak working with our blue-light colleagues and hospital specialists to safely resolve the incident. An area of the hospital was evacuated and a small number of casualties handed over to the care of the ambulance service. The incident is currently de-escalating and was marked as stop at 13:02."

West Midlands Ambulance Service's Hazardous Area Response Team were drafted in. An ambulance service spokeswoman told BirminghamLive: "We were called at around 10.40am to an incident at Kidderminster General Hospital on Bewdley Road and sent an ambulance, three paramedic officers and the Trust’s Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) to the scene. Following a thorough search working with fire colleagues, there were no patients found needing treatment by ambulance staff and we were stood down."

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A spokesman for West Mercia Police told The Mirror the force is not required to assist at present.

Ben Perrin