City hit by chemical leak
THE City was hit by traffic chaos in the rush hour after a chemical spill at the New Change shopping mall on Cheapside.
The London Fire Brigade in an alert said 30 people were evacuated as specialist teams combed the building to assess the cause of the spill.
Land Securities, which owns the shopping centre said: “Some workers fitting out a retail unit have been taken ill while carrying out work overnight on site yesterday (24 October 2010). It is being investigated and we are working closely with the police and fire services. The Centre is currently closed as a precautionary measure.”
The area around the shopping centre has been cordoned off and Cheapside down to Bank Junction, Queen Victoria Street, St Paul’s Church Yard, Watling Street and New Change were all cut off.
The London Fire brigade said in a statement: “London Fire Brigade is currently attending reports of a chemical leak at a shopping centre on Cheapside in the City.”