Urgent evacuation after ‘radioactive’ rubbish found in bin bags near primary school sparking huge emergency response
AT LEAST a dozen homes have been evacuated after a cleaner found suspected “radioactive” waste stuffed inside bin bags near a school.
The worker was clearing the property of a pair of elderly “hoarders” in Hammersmith, West London, when the grim discovery was made last night.
Emergency crews, including police, were called to the scene at 7pm following the incident less than 100 yards from a primary school.
A private cleaning firm had been hired to empty the semi-detached council house in Bentworth Road on Thursday afternoon.
Two workers took bags of rubbish to a scrap dealers where it was scanned and they were told it was “radioactive”.
Police were then called before the street was swarmed with specialist officers.
Around a dozen homes were evacuated and others were warned not to enter the street until it was safe.
‘HOARDERS’
One of the cleaners, called George, told Metro: “There is so much stuff in there. Every room is filled with items – they haven’t thrown anything away for years.
“I took one load of bin bags and rubbish to the tip and when they scanned it they said I couldn’t leave it here because it was radioactive.
“I don’t even remember what was in them there was so much rubbish. I didn’t know what to do, but I had to go back to the house.”
George added that he believes a woman who lived there was 90 when she died, while a male occupant is now in a home.
One neighbour described coming home from work last night and having to sit outside, with the street blocked off.
He said the couple who lived at the house were “serious hoarders”.
A Met police spokesperson said: “We were called after a person found an item they believed contained a harmful/chemical substance – it was checked and found to be safe.
“No further action.”
Were you affected by this incident? Email ryan.merrifield@thesun.co.uk