A woman was taken to hospital after mixing bleach with toilet cleaner – and breathing in the fumes.
Emergency services responded to the incident at a home in Melksham on Saturday evening (28 January).
South Western Ambulance Service sent numerous resources, including a Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) from Bristol and a rapid response vehicle.
The casualty, a woman in her 40s, was taken to Royal United Hospital for treatment for chlorine gas inhalation by a relative due to a reported lack of available ambulances.
It’s understood she accidentally mixed bleach with Hapic toilet cleaner whilst undertaking household cleaning, which caused a reaction and released the potentially deadly chemical fumes.
It was a phone call to 111 about her breathing struggles that sparked a large 999 response.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) also sent two fire crews to the scene, but they were stood down on arrival as the incident had been dealt with by paramedics.
A DWFRS spokesperson confirmed that crews from Chippenham and Calne were deployed to the incident at 8.25pm but “weren’t required”.
The woman has since been discharged from hospital and is recovering at home.
