Bomb squad search flat after chemical scare

A CHEMICAL scare forced police and Army bomb disposal experts to seal off a block of flats in the Capital for nearly 24 hours.

The alert was sparked amid reports that a resident had been stockpiling a supply of potential dangerous chemicals in his top-floor flat.

The block in Wester Drylaw Place was sealed off at around 2pm on Wednesday, with the Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team sent to the scene.

Residents were allowed to return to their homes, but had to sign in at the front door with police before they were granted entry.

Experts in silver chemical protective suits spent nearly a whole day checking the building and examining the suspect flat.

Two Army bomb disposal vans were sent to the scene along with police vans and cars, some of which remained on site until around 1pm yesterday.

A police spokesperson said: "As is routine in such situations, the EOD was asked to attend as a precaution."

Police chiefs would not disclose what kind of chemical had caused the scare.

The top two floors of the four level block remained taped off yesterday afternoon.

A pensioner, who lives in the block and asked not to be named, said: "The police turned up just after lunchtime on Wednesday but they wouldn't tell us what was going on. Then the bomb disposal vans arrived so we thought it must be more serious.

"I'd say there were a dozen officers here at times and we saw people who were obviously CID.

"But they let us come back into the building so we knew it couldn't be that dangerous. Otherwise they would've kept us out until the all-clear. All we had to do was sign in each time we were coming or going.

"There were people going up and down the stairs in these all-in-one silver protective suits. They left the plastic bags and instruction brochure they came in lying about. The brochures said the suits were for incidents with chemicals.

"They were here all the way through the night and finally left at 1pm as I was coming back with my wife's prescription."

Another neighbour, who also asked not to be named, said: "It was terrible because we didn't know what was happening. The police made us sign a book every time we left our own house.

"You saw all these people walking about in silver suits with the road closed."

A 34-year-old man has appeared in court in connection with the incident.