Man dies after exposure to chemical at house

Emergency service crews received reports of a person in cardiac arrest at a property in St Helens

A man in his 50s has died after he was exposed to a chemical, emergency services have said.

Crews received reports of a cardiac arrest in a semi-detached property on Douglas Avenue in Billinge village, St Helens, at about 10:20 BST on Saturday.

A works van outside the property was examined for a possible chemical spill but was later deemed safe, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said.

It added there was "one casualty affected by exposure to xylene at a semi-detached, brick-built property".

Not suspicious

The man was pronounced dead at the scene "despite the best efforts of the emergency services", a spokesperson from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service added.

North West Ambulance Service paramedics, two fire engines and police attended.

Merseyside Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious and the man's next of kin had been informed.

Xylene occurs naturally in petroleum products and crude oil and is used in consumer and industrial solvents, according to Public Health England.

It said xylene can enter the body by inhalation, ingestion or skin contact and absorbing large amounts can cause breathing problems, damage to the liver and kidneys, loss of consciousness, heart failure and death.