Firefighters had to wear gas-proof suits to deal with a chemical incident at a factory this morning. Five crews were called to Albion Chemicals in Thetford, after warnings of fumes coming from a chemical reaction inside a vat of sodium hydroxide.

Firefighters had to wear gas-proof suits to deal with a chemical incident at a factory this morning.

Five crews were called to Albion Chemicals in Brunel Way, Thetford, after warnings of fumes coming from a chemical reaction inside a vat of sodium hydroxide at 7.40am.

Four firefighters donned the suits to work with the factory's engineers and clear the incident, flushing away the chemical using equipment at the factory.

A spokesman for Norfolk Fire Service said the incident was contained and no-one was harmed although firefighters had to go undergo decontamination showers afterwards.

It was dealt with by 11am.