Park Hill chemical scare: everything we know about major police incident in Sheffield

In the wake of a major police incident at the Park Hill flats complex in Sheffield last night, here is everything we know so far:
Emergency services were deployed to Park Hill flats in Sheffield last nightEmergency services were deployed to Park Hill flats in Sheffield last night
Emergency services were deployed to Park Hill flats in Sheffield last night

What happened at Park Hill flats?

Emergency services were deployed to the flats, off Duke Street, at around 6pm, yesterday (October 11).

South Yorkshire Police said officers were called “to an incident where a man was seriously injured and given CPR”.

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Officers forced entry into the man’s flat and a number were said to have “started suffering ill effects from an unknown chemical”.

The police response to the incident was then stepped up and at its height there were around 20 emergency service vehicles at the scene.

What chemical was found in the flat?

Firefighters in specialist protective clothing were drafted in to carry out checks in the flat in a bid to establish what chemical caused police officers to fall ill.

After a number of hours at the scene, firefighters conducted all their tests and “declared there is no longer any risk of contamination as no traces of harmful substances were found”.

Why are police at Park Hill flats today?

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Police officers removed the wider cordon last night but the injured man’s flat remains under police guard and officers will be “re-entering the property to continue enquiries as to what happened”.

How many police officers were injured at Park Hill flats?

Four police officers suffered “ill effects from the incident”. They all received medical attention last night and are said to be recovering.

How is the man found seriously injured at Park Hill flats?

The man, aged in his 30s, was taken to the Northern General Hospital, where he remains in a serious condition this morning.

Were flats evacuated at Park Hill?

A cordon was put in place at the height of the incident but residents were not evacuated. They were asked to remain in their homes as a precaution and members of the public were urged to stay away from the scene.

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What did eyewitnesses see during the major incident at Park Hill?

An air ambulance was scrambled and people were seen in the street stripped down to their underwear while they were sprayed down by firefighters in a decontamination exercise.

Is there any risk to Park Hill residents today?

South Yorkshire Police said at the time that there was “not believed to be any threat to the wider public” and after tests in the flat at the centre of the incident it has been deemed that “there is no longer any risk of contamination as no traces of harmful substances were found”.

What has South Yorkshire Police said about the Park Hill incident today?

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The force said today: “We wish to thank all the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust and South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service personnel who attended for their diligent work, as well as all members of the public for their patience. You will still see some officers at the scene conducting enquiries for now.”

More details are expected to be released later today.