FIREFIGHTERS have rushed to the East End of Glasgow several times over the last 24 hours to tackle a lingering chemical smell in the area. 

Residents in Dalmarnock, Parkhead and Bridgeton have described a petrol like smell in their homes and outside over the last few days.

Several members of the public alerted the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to the smell in Dalmarnock and it is understood that some sort of fuel has been poured into the sewer system.

The Emirates Arena was evacuated this afternoon as a precaution. Netball Scotland were one of the clubs effected.

They tweeted: 

Glasgow Club users were also warned the facility will be closed for the rest of the day.

Glasgow Times:

It comes after firefighters attended Swanston Street yesterday at around 6.45pm.

The SFRS say they engaged in flushing sewers and remain there.

Firefighters were then called to a commercial premise on London Road.

The SFRS confirmed that firefighters evacuated and ventilated the premises.

A spokesman said: "The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has been alerted to several reports of a chemical smell in the area of Dalmarnock, Glasgow.

"At 6.45pm on Wednesday, January 4 crews attended at Swanston Street.

"Firefighters engaged in flushing sewers and presently remain in attendance.

"At 10.52am on Thursday, January 5 crews attended at a commercial premise on London Road.

"Firefighters evacuated and ventilated the premises.

"Crews also attended at the Emirates Arena on London Road.

"The arena was evacuated as a precautionary measure at 11.25am.

"Firefighters remain at the scene to make the area safe."

It comes after residents in Dalmarnock have complained about the smell for days.

John Derek Flannigan tweeted The Evening Times saying: "There has been awful smell for dasys in Dalmarnock."

Other residents took to Facebook to voice their concern about the smell in the area.

Jackie Coulter said: "It was so bad today in our work, it was like gas."

Suzie Wallace said: "I thought it smelt like petrol. It's all over my street and my close smells of petrol."

Scottish Water have said they are flushing parts of the network in the area in a bid to tackle the smell.

The sewer network has been effected by the incident and customers can continue to use their water in their homes as normal.

A Scottish Water spokesman said: "A suspected fuel discharge has gone into Scottish Water’s waste water (sewer) network and has led to a chemical odour which has been reported in the Dalmarnock, Bridgeton and Parkhead areas of Glasgow.

"The majority of the fuel liquid has been contained and removed. However, the odours are persisting."

He added: "Scottish Water is flushing parts of its network in the area to try to disperse the odour and is assisting the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in safely venting the sewerage system. Scottish Water is also liaising with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

"Scottish Water will continue to monitor the waste water network in the area and investigate the cause of the suspected fuel discharge."

A spokesman from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) who were also alerted to the incident said: “SEPA officers are aware of a fuel-like odour in the Dalmarnock area of Glasgow, which is reportedly coming from the local sewage network.

"While SEPA is monitoring the situation in case of any reported impact on the local water environment, odours from the sewage or drainage system are a matter for Scottish Water and the local authority.”