London evacuation: Ammonia leak prompts alert near Deutsche Bank and Liverpool Street station

About 100 workers in the City of London were evacuated from their offices on Thursday (12 May) after an ammonia leak at an office on London Wall. London Fire Brigade were sent to the premises between Old Broad Street and Moorgate just before 3pm and roads in the area were closed off.

"We're dealing with a suspected chemical incident on London Wall. 100 people evacuated. Heavy traffic so please avoid," the brigade tweeted.

Firefighters in breathing apparatus located the source of the leak to a fridge in a third-storey office and readings showed the office to have higher than usual levels of ammonia. Two women were treated at the scene for exposure to the chemical and the faulty appliance was moved into the open air while levels returned to normal.

The area was declared safe at 4.10pm and control was handed back to the office to allow staff back in. The incident comes weeks after employees at Deutsche Bank were evacuated from their offices along London Wall after a gas leak at Throgmorton Avenue prompted fears of a fire. London Fire Brigade was called to the street to reports of gas in the air.