Man dies and six crew in hospital

Six emergency service crew were treated at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary

A man has died and six emergency service crew have been treated in hospital following a decontamination incident on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

The officers underwent observation at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary following the incident in the Newcraighall area.

They had been called to Cocklawburn Beach near Berwick upon Tweed to help a man who had been overcome by fumes from a substance used for vermin control.

The 24-year-old man died en route to hospital on Monday at 2000 BST.

Northumbria Police said concerns were then raised about police and emergency staff who went to help the sick man and their exposure to the substance so they were decontaminated in Newcraighall and taken to hospital.

The risk of contamination is limited to direct exposure and there is no risk to members of the public Northumbria Police spokesman

Back where the man had been found a metal container in his car, which was parked in a lay-by at Cocklawburn Beach, appeared to be letting out the noxious substance, described by police as an industrial chemical used in vermin control.

Part of the A1 was closed overnight to decontaminate the area of a chemical.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "Northumbria Police and Lothian and Borders Police are continuing to work together on this incident.

"The risk of contamination is limited to direct exposure and there is no risk to members of the public.

"Officers are currently working to establish the identity of the deceased man."

Not suspicious

Two ambulance crew from the Borders and four officers from Northumbria Police were treated in Newcraighall.

The woman and five men from the emergency services were then taken to hospital for observation.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police confirmed that the force was leading the investigation into the man's death.

"It is believed he may have come into contact with a substance used for vermin control," he said.

"As a precaution, the police officers and ambulance workers travelling with the man were decontaminated by the side of the road on the A1, between Wallyford and Newcraighall.

"There appear to be no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and the identity of the man will not be revealed until the next of kin have been informed."