A chemical incident at Guy's Hospital in central London resulted in the evacuation of approximately 150 patients and staff and left nine people requiring medical treatment. The incident occurred in the plant room of the hospital's basement and ground floor after chlorine gas was produced.
Firefighters, including specialist hazardous materials officers, were called to the scene shortly before 8.50am on Thursday. The London Fire Brigade reported that one person was injured due to a chemical reaction, and several others who came to their aid were treated for inhaling chlorine gas.
The London Ambulance Service confirmed it treated nine patients, with four being taken to hospital. A police officer at the scene explained that an engineer accidentally mixed chlorine with sulphuric acid, causing an explosion. The officer stated, “One of the engineers accidentally mixed chlorine with sulphuric acid, and it totally exploded.”
Firefighters stood down at 11.09am after the incident was brought under control. The London Fire Brigade said, “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.”
A spokesperson for Guy's and St Thomas's confirmed that the site has now reopened and advised patients to attend appointments unless contacted directly. The hospital is a major elective centre with 400 beds, specialising in various medical fields.
