Photos: Chemical spill drill in Kerikeri

Firefighters wash off in a decontamination shower. Photo / Peter de Graaf

One person dead. Four workers overcome by toxic fumes. Firefighters in hazchem suits scouring a building for victims. It must have looked grim for people passing by on Kerikeri's Fairway Drive on Monday evening, but it was all just an exercise designed to hone firefighters' skills and improve inter-agency cooperation. About 20 members of Kerikeri Fire Brigade, half a dozen St John Kerikeri medics, a police officer and a council environment protection officer took part in the drill with staff at Bunnings Warehouse playing the role of victims in the simulated chemical spill scenario.

Firefighters find Bunnings employee Sandra Paterson unconscious at the store entrance. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Bunnings employee Carol Moffat, playing the part of a chemical spill patient, wears an oxygen mask. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Incident controller Steve Mortensen, left, hatches a rescue plan with senior firefighter Craig Laybourn and station officer Andy Hamberger. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Firefighters Ngaia Cruden, front, and Connor Graham battle to get into protective "splash suits". Photo / Peter de Graaf

Firefighter Anna Barton helps Ngaia Cruden into a protective "splash suit". Photo / Peter de Graaf

Firefighters find store manager Hayley Mason unconscious next to a spilled container of mock cyanide. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Help came too late for store account manager Steve Hawkins. Photo / Peter de Graaf

St John Kerikeri medics Talia Hill, left, and Cath Kam work on a patient. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Firefighters wash off in a decontamination shower. Photo / Peter de Graaf

St John Kerikeri medic Karin Broughton flinches as the decontamination shower is turned up to full pressure. Photo / Peter de Graaf