Chemical Spill at University Library Declared a Major Incident

Students at Cardiff University were forced to evacuate the campus library after a chemical spill occurred in a laboratory close by earlier this week. Firefighters and paramedics were immediately called onto the scene to check on students and contain the situation that broke out earlier that morning. Investigation into the incident is ongoing as rapid response vehicles were deployed alongside two emergency ambulances backed up by the Hazardous Area rescue team. 

Some pupils were checked down by paramedics as a safety precaution following the incident. The building remained closed until the safety teams were confident there was no risk to health and safety. Martha, who had just been walking out of the library at the time of the incident, stated that she had been ‘walking past the library and immediately knew something wasn’t right when she was met with the sight of an ambulance: ‘I had just finished my lecture and saw that everyone was crowding around outside which is weird because that never happens. I immediately messaged my friends who had been inside at the time, and they were just as confused, perhaps even more than me, because they had to evacuate the building. It was something harmful’. The South Wales Fire and Rescue confirmed the incident shortly after yet gave no insight into what caused the spill. 

Chemical spills pose a threat to human life, causing severe burns when touched with the potential to damage eyesight and cause harm to the respiratory tract. Alongside the threat to human life, chemical spills can cause significant structural damage to buildings like offices and laboratories. Employees must understand the severity of chemical spills as soon as possible due to the threat increasing as the spill is left unattended. 

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