Fire in chemistry lab after nasty spill

One person was injured and hundreds evacuated from the Chemistry building an hour ago after a chemical spillage.

Eight fire engines and one ambulance were immediately called to the CAP on campus.

UEA Fire Warden Glen said: “It was a chemical spillage which caught fire, a small fire.

“One person was slightly hurt but nothing dangerous, nothing major.

“It’s just the health and safety and fire brigade, because a chemical spilled caught fire. It’s just over-kill.

“We’ve got to protect you guys.”

It could be anywhere between an hour and three hours before students are let back in.

A chemical spillage caught fire in a lab, setting off the alarms just before 10:30am in the CAP building.

The entire building was evacuated and most are still waiting outside. Security won’t let anyone near the site.

Around 80 second-years were evacuated in the middle of an experiment that counts towards their final degree.

But despite being informed they will not be penalised, and the department officially cancelling the experiment, most are unhappy.

Second-year Biochemistry student Rachel Pearce said: “At around about 10:30 a fire alarm went off. I didn’t know if it was a drill or not – we got evacuated and then told it was a real fire. Three weeks’ worth of hard work binned.

“We’ve just been told we won’t be penalised but we’d been working for three weeks for this experiment.”