Workers evacuated after chemical alert at Telford factory
Eight factory workers were evacuated after a suspected fire at an industrial unit in Shropshire sparked a chemical alert.
Workers at the unit in Halesfield 19, Telford, raised the alarm when a solvent reclamation machine began giving off smoke at about 7.40pm yesterday.
Fire crews, including a hazardous materials officer, attended the scene, and wore breathing apparatus to enter an adjacent ink store, which was reported as possibly being on fire.
But Dave Bishton, who attended from Shrewsbury Fire Station, said it was a false alarm, adding that the smoke in the ink store had in fact come from the overheating machine.
He said: "About eight people who were in the factory had already evacuated by the time we were there. They did the right thing calling us as they thought chemicals could have been involved."
Fire crews left at about 8.30pm.
