Sheffield: Neighbours flee homes after man dies in chemicals drama

Firefighters, some in boiler suits and gas masks, were sent to a house in Holland Place in the Highfield district yesterday afternoon, as neighbours were ushered from their homes amid contamination fears.

Police confirmed the body of a young man, thought to be in his 20s, had been found by his housemates.

London Road was cordoned off from its junction with Abbeydale Road to Witney Street, and bus routes were diverted as experts were drafted in to assess the “potentially hazardous” substance.

One witness said: “They came and asked me to move my kids. They said it was something unpleasant and not for kids to see.”

Supt Martin Hemingway of South Yorkshire Police, said: “Some residents returned home to find the body of a young man inside the property.

“From the circumstances they could see they became concerned that there were hazardous materials in there “When they contacted the police we called out the emergency services to ensure the scene and the street were safe.”

25 homes on Holland Place were evacuated and neighbouring streets taped off as residents watched firefighters in acid-yellow protection suits and breathing masks enter the terraced house next to Highfield Trinity Church.

Some 18 fire, police and ambulance vehicles spent four hours at the scene.

Four fire engines and two support vehicles, four ambulances, seven police cars, a crime scene investigation van and a specialist unit were all at the scene. A Sheffield Council liaison officer was also in attendance.

They were watched by dozens of residents from Holland Road and from a small park at Batt Street.

Neighbour Karen Guest said firefighters knocked on her door and asked her to vacate the property.

“They didn’t tell us how long we were going to be out, but they said it was potentially life-threatening,” she said. “My kids were playing outside at the time. There was a real stink.”

After four hours of activity by at least 40 emergency service officers, the Health Protection Agency declared the scene safe shortly before 6pm yesterday.

Supt Hemingway said: “The agencies involved confirmed there was no risk to residents or anyone who had been in the London Road or Holland Place area.

“We are mounting a full investigation of the circumstances.”

Neighbours said the house was occupied by a group of young working men.

A Fire Service spokesman added: “Four crews of firefighters along with specialist support units attended the scene after reports of a chemical incident.

“They had to evacuate one side of the street and firefighters entered the building wearing specialist suits.”