Chemical leak disrupts Wellington Hospital

BY RUTH HILL

Last updated 15:42 20/11/2009

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A toxic leak at Wellington Hospital has forced the cancellation of all non-urgent surgery and lab tests.

Fourteen people, including builders and firefighters, were taken to the hospital's emergency department for checks after coming into contact with the substance known as formalin - a solution of formaldehyde gas dissolved in water which is used in lab tests.

Capital and Coast District Health Board spokesman Michael Tull said workmen in the clinical services block (which houses the labs and the anaesthetics department) had accidentally cut through the pipe at 11am, prompting theevacuation of about 100 people.

About 10 elective operations had been cancelled, along with non-urgent diagnostic testing.

The hospital has thanked Hutt Hospital and Aotea Pathology for doing urgent tests.

The building is currently being decontaminated by specialist teams from the Fire Service and Wellington City

Council and is not likely to reopen until tomorrow morning.

A toxic chemical, formaldehyde is found in everyday items including cleaning products and shampoos, but in large doses it can be fatal.

It has also been linked to cancer, leukaemia, and respiratory and skin diseases.

No hospital patients were evacuated.

- with NZPA

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- © Fairfax NZ News

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