FIREFIGHTERS from Newton Abbot were called to the Salcombe area to deal with a chemical scare.

The town crew, specialists in tackling environmental and contamination hazards, undertook a two-hour round trip to Marlborough yesterday after a contractor was injured when his house-washing spray container exploded.

It emerged that a mixture of two chemicals – hydrochloride and an acid – caused the container to blow up at about midday.

The casualty – dressed in protective overalls – suffered cuts and burns to his hand in the accident. He was taken by ambulance to hospital for a check-up.

Newton Abbot’s environmental protection crew cover a large area of the county. The next nearest specialist team is in Taunton.

A spokesman said the incident, involving a 50-miles excursion there and back, was not as serious as initially feared.