18 Feb 2019

Chlorine spill: One hospitalised, 18 treated by paramedics

9:36 pm on 18 February 2019

A chlorine spill at a school in Thames earlier today resulted in one person being hospitalised and 18 others being treated by paramedics.

Five fire crews and St John ambulance attended the spill at Pārāwai School in Thames just before 3pm today

In a statement, the school said all children and staff in the vicinity were medically checked and cleared to return home, apart from one staff member who was taken to Thames Hospital as a precautionary measure.

The principal has declined to be interviewed.

The school has revealed the spill involved chlorine used in a swimming pool, however it happened in the pool building, not in the swimming pool itself.

It said the pool was now safe and school would open tomorrow as normal.

Fire and Emergency have checked the area and given it the all-clear.