Man in 50s dies after 'exposure to chemical'

Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and his next of kin have been informed

A man aged 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, Merseyside, at about 10.20am on Saturday.

A works van outside the property was examined for a possible chemical spill but 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. The casualty was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene, despite the best efforts of the emergency services".

North West Ambulance Service paramedics, two fire engines and police attended. Merseyside Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and his next of kin have 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.