Chameleon in jar sparks 999 alert

A jar containing a pickled chameleon sparked a major emergency alert when it fell off a shelf and smashed in a Hampshire home on Thursday night.

Three fire engines and 18 firefighters were sent to the house in Basingstoke to clean up the remains of the jar and the formaldehyde it had contained.

The owners tried to clear it but were overcome with fumes and called 999.

Firefighters entered the house and dealt with the spillage by washing it down into the garden.

A spokeswoman for the service said formaldehyde could be an irritant and the use of so many firefighters and engines was pre-determined when a hazardous chemical call was made.

The crews who entered the house were wearing special chemical protective clothing.

She said: "At the point we were called we did not know what we were dealing with."