TWO people have been taken to hospital with breathing difficulties after a woman approached them with a bag in Bath, police have said.
Emergency services put a cordon in place on Stall Street on Monday at around 2.30pm.
Avon and Somerset Police saying it was a precaution and they are hoping to be able to reopen the area soon.
Two people were rushed to hospital after reporting experiencing difficulty breathing and itchy eyes.
It comes after locals reportedly fell sick moments after a woman “approached them with a bag”, sparking fears of a possible chemical attack.
Emergency services have been spotted on the scene wearing hazmat suits.
Witnesses said some members of the public have been stripped of all clothing, placed in hazmat suits and into the back of ambulances.
The ambulance service was first on scene – alerting Avon and Somerset Police at 3.08pm.
According to locals, there are more than 20 emergency vehicles present – including 14 ambulance vehicles.
A police spokesperson said: “Emergency services are responding to an incident in Bath.
“At about 2.30pm a woman approached people with a bag in Stall Street, leading to some individuals then feeling unwell.
“The ambulance service made us aware at 3.08pm.
“We’re not aware of any further reports of people feeling unwell. As a precaution, emergency personnel are wearing protective clothing.
“We are working with SWAST (South Western Ambulance Trust) and Avon Fire and Rescue Service at the scene and have well-rehearsed plans for responding to such incidents.”
One witness said they saw members of the public being treated at the scene.
They said: “They took one woman off into some blue tarpaulin sheets and seemed to have hosed her down.
“She must have been told to remove her clothes, as she came out wearing a big orange suit covering her body.
“Then she was walked to the ambulance escorted by what I think was a paramedic wearing a full hazmat suit with breathing apparatus.”
Online users have also been speculating on the incident, with one person writing: “I wonder what’s going on in #Bath right now. I heard 6 police cars whizz past on their way to the incident.”
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