Building evacuated after man’s body and chemicals found in Arboretum flat

A block of flats in Nottingham were evacuated after a man’s body and chemicals were discovered inside.

Police, fire and ambulance crews were called to the flats on Russell Street in the Arboretum at 9.50am on Wednesday.

Notts Police sealed off the street and officers found the body of a 33-year-old man inside one of the flats along with potentially hazardous chemicals.

More emergency crews were then called to the scene and firefighters in chemical suits were seen entering the building, which mainly houses students.

Police say it is unclear exactly how the man died, but his death is not being treated as suspicious.

No-one else was hurt and the cordon around the building was lifted just before 3pm.

A specialist fire service Environmental Protection Unit attended along with two fire engines, police an ambulance and paramedics.

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Fire crews have been seen going in to a block of flats.

A Notts Police spokesman said: “The body of a 33-year-old man was found inside. His death is not being treated as suspicious.

“Chemicals were found in the property. Roads in the area were closed and the block of flats were evacuated as a precaution.

“Officers have established there is no risk to the occupants of the building or the wider public.”

Several people told Notts TV how they had been evacuated from their flats by police as the incident unfolded.

Student Dan Woodrow was inside the student accommodation on the street when the incident unfolded.

“Police knocked on our door about half 12 to kick us out, that’s all we know,” he said.

“We’ve been ask to hang about we don’t know what time we will be allowed back in.”

Rhiannon Leek, a student at Nottingham Trent University, had just got back from a weekend at home to find she wasn’t allowed back into her flat.

She said: “We thought it had to be serious, there’s so many police and ambulances and they wouldn’t just take them off the road.

“I’m lucky I just got back from home because I have all my things in a suitcase but my friend hasn’t got anything.”

Ambulance crews are also parked on Newdigate Street near the incident.

Four ambulance cars and an ambulance were also parked on nearby Newdigate Street.

Environmental Protection Units are often used by fire crews to deal with specialist incidents, which can include hazardous materials and fires which need extra breathing equipment.

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