Child among six taken to hospital after chlorine leak at Clermiston Road hotel

An Edinburgh hotel was evacuated and six people including a child were taken to hospital after reports of a chlorine leak.

Police have asked the public to avoid the area.

It is understood emergency crews were concerned about a chlorine leak at the Leonardo hotel on Clermiston Road in the west of the city.

Police taped off the premises' car park and all the staff and guests at the hotel were ushered out. People were advised to avoid the area.

An Evening News reporter on the scene said there was a 'heavy presence' of ambulances, fire engines and police cars. He added that there was a strong smell of chlorine in the air. It is understood the reported chemical leak may have occurred at the hotel's swimming pool.

Police, ambulance and fire crews were spotted on the scene.

Several members of staff, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the alarm had been raised over concerns about a chlorine leak.

In a statement, police confirmed there had been a minor chlorine leak and said the affected area has been temporarily sealed off.

They said: "Emergency services have established this was a minor chlorine leak from the swimming pool and while this area remains temporarily out of use to the public, the hotel guests and staff have been allowed back inside.

"Three people were assessed by ambulance staff at the scene and required no additional assistance. A further six people were taken to hospital as a precaution."

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: "We were in attendance with our emergency services partners at a hotel in Clermiston Road, Edinburgh due to a reported chemical leak.

"Four ambulances, a paramedic response unit and our special operations response team were dispatched to the incident and five patients were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. A further patient was taken to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and three patients were treated on scene by our Paramedics."

The condition of the casualties taken to hospital is not yet known.

A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were alerted at 5.50pm to reports of an incident involving potentially hazardous materials at a hotel on Clermiston Road."

He said that three fire engines and two specialist chemical appliances were set to the scene. He added: "The hotel was fully evacuated and we passed five casualties to the Scottish Ambulance Service."