'Chemical leak' at Hermes depot in Mills Road on Quarry Wood Industrial Estate in Aylesford
08:00, 30 July 2021
updated: 15:04, 30 July 2021
Fifteen people have been treated by paramedics after a chemical leak at a Hermes depot.
Emergency services were called just after 5.30am to the depot in Mills Road on the Quarry Wood Industrial Estate in Aylesford.
Paramedics and members of the Hazardous Area Response Team treated 15 patients at the scene with "minor symptoms." None required hospital treatment.
Five fire engines were sent to the scene as well as Detection, Identification and Monitoring (DIM) officers and an incident support unit.
Earlier today a cordon could be seen around the Hermes depot and the Loomis cash depot, both in Lake Road. Mills Road was also closed at the junction with Lake Road at the industrial estate as a result.
As dozens of workers waited patiently outside the Hermes factory, one said: “We’ve not been allowed in now for a while, and don’t really know what’s going on.
"We were just told we couldn’t go in by police and the fire service and there’s been a cordon since I got here. It must be something serious for all these engines, police and ambulance to turn up.”
The cordon has now been lifted and cars are free to drive through the industrial estate.
Loomis told KentOnline it was temporarily caught behind the cordon but is now operating fully again.
A spokesman for Hermes said: "There was an incident at our depot this morning where an unknown substance leaked from a parcel.
"The site was evacuated on the advice of the emergency services and 15 members of staff have been treated for minor skin irritations.
"The site has been thoroughly cleaned and is operational again.
"Our teams are in good spirits and are working hard to minimise the delays on the limited number of affected parcels."
One eye witness said the closures had caused knock-on delays in the area, with traffic queuing for around 45 minutes.
