Nine people have been treated by medics after a chemical incident at Guy’s Hospital in Southwark this morning, with four taken to hospital.
Emergency services were called just before 9am after a chlorine gas leak was reported in a plant room within a “non-patient area” of the hospital. The gas is believed to have been created by the accidental mixing of chemicals.
A staff member sustained injuries in the initial chemical reaction, and several others who went to help were treated for inhalation of the toxic gas.
London Fire Brigade sent two fire engines, two fire rescue units, a command unit, and specialist hazardous materials officers. Crews checked for elevated chlorine readings, ventilated the building, and carried out a precautionary evacuation of the basement and ground floors. They left the scene at around 11am.
A Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson confirmed:
“One staff member was injured and several people, who came to the aid of the person, were treated for the inhalation of chlorine gas.”
London Ambulance Service said multiple resources attended, including ambulance crews, an incident response officer, and the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART).
“We treated nine patients, taking four patients to hospital and discharging five patients at the scene,” a spokesperson said.
The hospital has confirmed that patient services were not affected, and the affected area has been declared safe.
