Stores at Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre were today counting the cost of a second day of lost trade caused by a chemical alert.

Eight shopworkers were treated with oxygen masks outside the centre this morning and a further two taken to hospital.

Police were called into the shopping centre along with firefighters as up to 200 staff and shoppers waited outside for news, before police later said they were satisfied the problem was an internal one and did not appear to be suspicious.

Bosses at Bullring today confirmed that fumes were confined to staff areas, but could not say when it would be safe for shops to open and how much traders had lost.

Louise Hamer-Brown, marketing controller for Bullring, said: “The problem was confined to security staff rooms in the basement.

“Two of our staff could smell fumes and we are taking safety very seriously.

“The emergency services have been in the building all morning and we have evacuated the building as a precaution.

“This is a bank holiday and a big weekend for us, so is very frustrating for ourselves and shoppers.

“We want to reopen and get back in as soon as possible.

“Eight people were treated outside with oxygen masks and two were taken to hospital although I believe they have all now been released.

“Until we know the cause of the problem it is difficult to say when we will open.”

Markets remained open but traders felt they had still lost a lot of business with the stalls much quieter than usual.

Callam Davis, aged 17, a market trader on the Sutton Flowers stall in Edgbaston Street, which was closed to all traffic because of the chemical leak, said: “When we got here to set up the stall at 8am the police were taping off the road.

“We couldn’t get our van to the stall so we had to drag all the boxes down.

“I saw three members of staff sitting on the benches with oxygen masks and being treated by paramedics.

“We were sent home for the whole of yesterday, by police, but they have not stopped us opening this morning.

“Trade has been dead so far.

“We want the shopping centre to open as soon as possible as it brings people down here.” Hundreds of people were turned away disappointed from the shopping centre throughout the day by police officers.

There were reports of some shoppers trying to open the doors themselves before being turned away by security staff, while staff from shops including Next were left sitting outside Bullring.

James Willcox, 91, from Winson Green, said people were confused about the closure but shoppers were also concerned for the welfare of those taken ill.

“I hope the people that were taken to hospital are okay,” he said.

“I heard they were having trouble with their breathing and had to have masks to help them.

“I have just been to the market and wanted to go to Currys in Bullring. I was here yesterday and the whole street was closed off with lots of police officers. I have never seen the area so quiet.”

David Short, 41, from Solihull, said: “If it was a deliberate act then I think it is stupid. I’m not sure how someone would have got in and done this, let’s just hope it was an accident and Bullring will be open again soon.

“I was here to buy some clothes but there isn’t any point waiting much longer.

“They have said they don’t know when it will reopen.

“People have been taken to hospital and it is bound to affect the businesses.

“There will be a lot of people down here at the weekend so I hope they get it back open soon.”