Residents in part of Milton have been told to stay inside after a chemical spill sparked a major emergency services response this morning. A police spokeswoman said emergency services were called to Chaucer St, between the intersections with Abercrombie and Shakespeare Sts, just after 9.30am after reports from Clutha District Council a 25 litre drum containing chemicals was leaking. A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) spokesman said the drum contained the chemical chloropicrin. The spokesman was not sure what risk the chemical posed, but residents in the immediate vicinity were being told by police to stay inside. Three appliances from Balclutha and Milton were on the scene and two appliances, a command unit and a hazmat unit were on there way from Dunedin.

Source: Otago Daily Times September 06, 2018 22:52 UTC