Toxic chemical spill: evacuations + road closure

1.52pm: The chemical spilled in a Tauranga dental laboratory this afternoon has been identified as Potassium Cyanide.

Bay of Plenty area manager Murray Binning said a "small quantity of potassium cyanide" was dropped in the dental laboratory on Cameron Rd near 16th Ave.

He understood the person who dropped it had got themselves to hospital for a check up. He said the dental laboratory was in the premises temporarily before they moved in to their new building.

Fire fighters were cleaning up the spill and a decontamination unit was ready to decontaminate the fire fighters and their gear.

They were confident the situation was under control and there was no risk to the public from the spill, Mr Binning said.

Cameron Rd is closed between 17th and 16 Ave, with traffic being diverted.

A reporter at the scene said people were being kept away form the block of shops.

1.35pm: A Cameron Rd dentist has been evacuated after a chemical spill in the building near 16th Ave.

A decontamination unit had gone in to the dentist after the chemicals were spilled, Senior Sergeant Carl Purcell said.

A reporter at the scene said there were four fire trucks and a number of police cars around.

There is no impact on traffic at this stage.

1.24pm: A number of fire trucks and units are at the corner of 16th Ave and Cameron Rd this afternoon for reports of a chemical spill.

Bay of Plenty area manager Murray Binning said fire fighters were responding to a chemical spill at the intersection.

The nature of the chemical is not yet known.