Silverburn shopping centre evacuated over chemical spill

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Aug 24, 2018

Scores of shoppers at Silverburn in Glasgow were forced to evacuate on Wednesday just after 12:30pm after a chemical smell developed in an area of the mall.

The alarm was raised at about 12:40 on Wednesday after a number of shoppers reported feeling unwell. Emergency services including Police Scotland and The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's Environmental Protection Team arrived a few minutes later.

Around 50 people were treated at the scene after reporting breathing difficulties, and six shoppers were taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital as a precaution.

In a statement posted on social media, Silverburn said: “We’ve temporarily evacuated Silverburn as a precautionary measure and the emergency services are in attendance.

“The safety of our customers and staff is always our number one priority. We will keep you updated on the situation.”

It is understood the chemical smell was caused by paint fumes which were circulated through an air vent.

With over 100 shops, Silverburn is a popular shopping centre located outside Glasgow. It houses leading fashion brands including H&M, Debenhams, Jack Wills, Marks & Spencer, New Look, Next, Kurt Geiger, River Island, Superdry and Zara.

The shopping centre reopened again on Thursday after air quality tests were carried out by emergency services showing no hazardous substances in the air.