By Gordon Berry

STAFF AT a university laboratory in St Andrews had to be evacuated as firefighters cleared their building of potentially toxic fumes yesterday afternoon.

The incident occurred at the Gatty Marine Laboratory close to the East Sands after a lithium battery began to leak.

The alarm was raised shortly before 3 pm. Six fire brigade units, two each from St Andrews and Rosyth, one from Cupar and one from Anstruther were called.

The senior officer also called to the lab, Divisional Officer Ian Smith, said three breathing apparatus sets were used by firefighters with special gas-tight suits as they entered the building and made it safe.

He said the battery was of the type used for satellite tracking of seals and similar mammals and had began to release gas as it was being dismantled

The divisional officer said only one battery was involved but staff had detected fumes in the building and a fire alarm was activated. As a result, the ventilation system in the building closed down and the firefighters had to go on to all three floors as the rooms were cleared and vented.

He said the battery was taken to the safety of the open air, and no one was injured.

Divisional Officer Smith said the firefighters were decontaminated under a special shower as a precaution.

Last night a university spokesperson said no one was hurt and that the cause of the incident is to be investigated.

* Abertay University in Dundee was also evacuated yesterday afternoon following a gas scare, writes Graeme Strachan.

The alarm was raised around 4 pm after a strong smell of gas was detected in the main Kydd Building, Bell Street.

University maintenance staff immediately shut off the gas supply and everyone was out of the building within 15 minutes.

Engineers from gas company Transco conducted an extensive check of all pipelines leading into the Bell Street building and could find no leak.

The building was ventilated and will open as usual today, although maintenance staff and the building contractor will check the gas supply leading to the laboratories as a precaution.

“There was a suspected gas leak noticed about 4 pm and our maintenance staff immediately shut off the gas supply to that part of the building,” said a spokesman for Abertay University.

“There was a strong smell of gas in the upper levels of the Kydd Building. The only gas supply in that part of the building is the gas that goes to the laboratory.

“They called Transco and began to evacuate. Everyone was out of the building within 15 minutes.

“Engineers arrived around 4.20 pm, checked the supply leading into the building, but found nothing.

“That part of the building has now been vented and cleared of gas. It’s business as usual tomorrow.

“To be on the safe side our own maintenance staff and the contractor will check the gas supply. The important thing is that evacuation happened very quickly and the gas supply was shut off immediately.”

A Transco spokeswoman said, “When we arrived they had evacuated themselves, and there was a strong smell of gas.” She said engineers carried out an extensive check, found no leak, and left at about 7 pm.

She said there may be a problem in the internal pipe work, and this would be the responsibility of the building owners to investigate.