Mass evacuation at Washington military base as 14 hospitalised by 'hazardous material'

A MYSTERIOUS substance leak at an Air Force Base has sparked a mass evacuation and has hospitalised 14 people.

The "unknown irritant" forced the evacuation at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington.

Medical experts sent 14 of the 24 people exposed to the substance to hospital.

A hospital spokeswoman confirmed four of the 14 exposed to the dangerous substance are in A&E at the Providence Sacred Heart Medical Centre in Washington.

A HAZMAT – which means hazardous material – alert has been raised at the military base and emergency services are at the scene.

It is unclear if the base has been reopened.

The dangerous incident is believed to have happened at the base's main gate.

A HAZMAT – which means hazardous material – alert has been raised at the military base and emergency services are at the scene.

It is unclear if the base has been reopened.

The dangerous incident is believed to have happened at the base's main gate.

Fairchild is home to the 92nd Air Refuelling Wing – which carries out air refuelling, cargo airlift and aero-medical evacuation missions – and a national guard unit.

More than 5,200 military and civilian personnel work at the base, making it the largest employer in eastern Washington DC.

Culled from Express