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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Sian Traynor & Iona Young

Edinburgh city centre building closed off by emergency services in chemical scare

An Edinburgh city centre hotel has been 'closed off' after reports of a chemical smell received by police on Tuesday morning.

The incident is ongoing and emergency services raced to the scene at 10.50am on October 16.

READ MORE: Popular Midlothian Chinese buffet set to re-open for first time since pandemic

The Scottish Fire Service, Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service major incident support attended the building on Cowgate as they investigated the "chemical odour."

Pictures show several emergency service vehicles including two fire engines, ambulances and Police Scotland vehicles outside a Holiday Inn Express at Cowgate.

Police Scotland confirmed they officers in attendance and dealing with the matter.

The building, understood to be the city morgue, has been closed off and there are no reports of anyone being affected.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "Around 10.50am on Tuesday, 18 October, 2022, police received a report of a chemical odour within an area of a building in Cowgate, Edinburgh.

"Emergency services are in attendance dealing with the matter and enquiries are ongoing."

She added: "The area of the building has been closed off and there are no reports of anyone being affected. There is no threat to the wider public."

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