Workers 'lucky' as acid squirts them near faces after hazardous incident at Portsmouth workshop

Crews from Southsea and Cosham raced to a business unit in Claybank Road, Portsmouth, at around 2.45pm on Monday after a hazardous materials incident.

Two men were left needing hospital treatment after being contaminated by sulphuric acid when a hose ‘popped off’ before they were covered with the corrosive substance.

Firefighters cooled the burns on the men, located to the back of the neck and close to the face, as well as on their backs.

South Central Ambulance Service, including paramedics from the Hazardous Area Response Team, also attended. The casualties were left in their care and taken to Queen Alexandra hospital.

Cosham acting crew manager Lee Merrett said: ‘The incident involved a sulphuric acid container where the hose popped off and squirted the two gentlemen.

‘We cooled down the burns for 20 minutes using hose reels before handing over to Scas. The burns were not too bad but did blister and would have been a lot worse if left.

‘They were lucky, it could have been a lot worse if they were closer to the chemical. They reacted quickly and turned their backs - so their backs took the full brunt.’

Crews left the scene at 3.40pm.

A spokeswoman for Hampshire fire service said: ‘We were called to a hazardous materials incident at a workshop.

‘Firefighters used hose reels to treat two people who had been contaminated with a corrosive substance.

‘We were assisted by South Central Ambulance Service, including paramedics from the Hazardous Area Response Team, and the casualties were left in their care.’

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An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the incident was at the Fabtech workshop. This was based on information given to us and used in good faith. We apologise to Fabtech for the error.