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Queen's Hospital A&E shuts in powder scare Queen's Hospital A&E shuts in powder scare
(35 minutes later)
A hospital locked down its emergency unit after several patients needed treatment for contact with an unknown powder. A hospital locked down its emergency unit after seven patients needed treatment for contact with an unknown powder.
The patients went to Queen's Hospital in Burton Upon Trent after coming into contact with the substance at their workplace. The patients went to Queen's Hospital in Burton Upon Trent after coming into contact with the substance at work, a Hobbycraft distribution centre.
The A&E unit was closed and patients advised to attend Derby hospital.The A&E unit was closed and patients advised to attend Derby hospital.
Closing the department is in accordance with national guidance, a spokesman for Queen's Hospital said. Closing the department was in accordance with national guidance, a spokesman for the hospital said.
The unknown powdery substance was being analysed. 'Sorry for inconvenience'
Mark Powell, Director of Operations said: "We would like to note that A & E is the only department that has been closed. The substance was later identified as an inert substance which poses no threat to health, the spokesman said.
"All our other clinics and services are open and functioning as normal, and patients planning to attend our hospitals for anything other than an emergency should still come as planned."
Officers from Staffordshire Police attended in what they have called a supportive role and ambulance crews were placed on standby.Officers from Staffordshire Police attended in what they have called a supportive role and ambulance crews were placed on standby.
Hobbycraft said their staff had now been released from the hospital.
"We can confirm that an incident took place at our Distribution Centre in Burton-on-Trent this morning, resulting in seven colleagues being taken to hospital as a precautionary measure," he said.
"The colleagues have all been released and we are co-operating with the police in relation to the matter."
Mark Powell, Director of Operations at the hospital said all other clinics and services functioned as normal during the incident.
The unit began to reopen at 16:00 BST, three hours after the patients were admitted.The unit began to reopen at 16:00 BST, three hours after the patients were admitted.
The hospital apologised for any inconvenience caused to patients.