Woman caused street evacuation after creating chlorine gas in Glasgow home

A woman caused a street in Glasgow to be evacuated after creating chlorine gas in her home.

Connie Stevenson, 27, mixed bottles of bleach and vinegar at the property in the city’s Springburn area on May 31.

Emergency crews were called to the property, which had a “strong smell of bleach”, after she contacted the Scottish Ambulance Service that day to report the gas leak.

Due to the unknown quantity used, the property was initially deemed unsafe to enter.

Prosecutor Lauren Aitchison said: “A cordon was raised and neighbouring properties adjacent were evacuated.

“Members of the public in neighbouring properties were told not to re-enter their homes.”

A hazard material officer from the Scottish Fire Service used special equipment to detect gasses in the property.

Chlorine gas was found to be in the property, which confirmed that previous reports were “credible.”

Police officers made attempts to speak to Stevenson at her front door, but she refused to engage.

Miss Aitchison added: “Stevenson continued to shout and swear at police.”

Officers then spoke to her on her mobile phone, and she stated that she mixed one bottle of bleach and a bottle of vinegar before lying in it.

Stevenson was eventually escorted from the property and taken for a decontamination shower by the Scottish Fire Service.

She was then put in an ambulance to be checked over before being taken to hospital.

Three police officers were also given a decontamination shower and had to give back their body armour.

A member of the Scottish Fire Service entered the property with breathing apparatus to assess the extent of the gas.

Firefighters were then told to evacuate the building due to the substance’s reading being “extremely high.”

An operation to ventilate the property began, as well as the property being hosed down, which took up to 40 minutes

The carpets were also lifted, and there was a wait until the property was deemed to be at a safe level for residential use, which took another 30 minutes.

Stevenson pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Tuesday to culpable and reckless conduct and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

Her lawyer told the court that his client has a background of poor mental health.

Sentence was deferred pending background reports until the end of the month by Sheriff Owen Mullan who continued Stevenson’s remand in custody.