Two treated after chemical spillage

Two hospital pharmacy workers were treated after a chemical spillage at a Cork hospital.

The incident occurred in the pharmacy department of St Finbarr’s Hospital on Wednesday when a small bottle of liquid ammonia fell from a shelf during cleaning.

The fumes affected two staff members who suffered from streaming eyes and complained of difficulty breathing.

Both were taken to Cork University Hospital for treatment.

However, both staff members were discharged from the hospital within a matter of hours.

As a safety measure, an administrative area next to the pharmacy department was evacuated.

Cork City Fire Brigade also attended the scene as a precaution.

A HSE spokeswoman said a specialist waste management company was called in to clean up the area affected by the spillage, and to dispose of the liquid appropriately.

Normal service has since resumed in the pharmacy department and in the area which was evacuated.

No other areas of the hospital were affected and patients were not at risk.