Leeds Engineering building evacuated after reports of a chemical leak

‘Respiratory irritant’ forced a swift evacuation


West Yorkshire Fire Service were summoned to the University of Leeds campus following a chemical leak in the Civil Engineering Building.

After reports of a respiratory irritant being released, the Fire Services were poised to act as specialist officers attempted to locate the source of the leak. Fortunately, there have been no serious casualties from either students or staff, despite paramedics being onsite.

As a result of the chemical leak, the building had to be ventilated and so university staff as well as wardens and police are restricting access to the building. Evacuated students milled outside waiting to return to class before university staff announced that all scheduled labs, seminars, lectures and tutorials in the contaminated buildings would be cancelled due to the incident.

Several students were disgruntled by the event because they were unable to collect important personal items from within the building such as car and house keys. Many students have been told that they will not be able to collect their items until tomorrow at the earliest, much to their annoyance.

One student professed: “It’s a nightmare, honestly. I don’t know what I’m going to do.” Another said that “I thought it was a drill at first, I soon found out that it wasn’t.”