A WOMAN is receiving treatment for burns to her face after a chemical spill in an operating theatre at an Essex hospital.

A WOMAN is receiving treatment for burns to her face after a chemical spill in an operating theatre at an Essex hospital.

Fire crews were called to St John's Hospital in Chelmsford at about 12.45pm today after formaldehyde began leaking from a container.

Up to a litre of the chemical was released and one woman was taken to another part of the hospital to receive care after suffering burns to her lips.

Crews waited to receive special information about the chemical's properties before firefighters wearing breathing apparatus eventually cleared up the spill by 2.30pm.