January 19, 2009

Five people have been taken to hospital after an explosion and chemical leak at a factory in Southland this morning.
St John spokeswoman Alena Lynch said four people were taken to Invercargill Hospital about 11.10am with minor injuries caused by the exposure to reflux s800, a chlorinated sanitiser which had leaked at Fonterra's Edendale plant.
A fifth person, exposed to the chemical, did not have any injuries but had been taken to hospital as a precaution.
The leak had resulted in an explosion but she was not sure how, Ms Lynch said.
The Department of Labour was investigating.
Ambulance staff remained at the scene while the Fire Service treated people with a decontamination shower , she said.
Southern fire communications shift manager Riwai Grace said about 30 people were being decontaminated and there was about 500 litres of the chemical which had to be removed.
He estimated this would take about two hours.
Five fire crews from Edendale, Wyndham and Invercargill attended after the call out at 10.17am.
Fire and police evacuated the building and surrounding area and blocked off the roads.
Police said State Highway 1 was now open .
The factory was just north of the Edendale township and about 40km northeast of Invercargill.
On Saturday night a Fonterra worker died after an accident at the company's Whareroa plant in Taranaki.