Baby breaks out in blisters at contaminated site

Auckland woman Gemma Wood was distraught when her 13-month-old daughter swelled up at an early learning centre last Tuesday, her body covered in red blisters.

"The [Freemans Bay Early Learning Centre] phoned us and said you'd better come down, and my husband had to rush her to hospital," Mrs Wood said.

She believes her daughter B'Elana may have reacted to contaminated soil where the centre is built, although tests have yet to confirm that.

She is also upset that the centre's staff knew the Auckland City Council was testing for contamination, but did not tell her straight away, despite her daughter's state.

"She had a high temperature, nearly 40C, and things looked pretty grim," Mrs Wood said.

The council yesterday confirmed the centre's site was the fifth preschool site contaminated with benzo-a-pyrene, a chemical that can cause skin irritation, respiratory upsets and even cancer on rare occasions.

It has taken steps to cover the site's exposed areas and clean up the soil. A council spokesman said the centre was first told that its site would be tested on Wednesday last week, a day after the Auckland Central Playcentre site was found to be contaminated. The centre could not be contacted last night.

"As soon as they found out the council was going to be testing it, they should have let the parents know, especially in our situation where B'Elana was ill," Mrs Wood said.

Staff at the centre did not contact her until Tuesday, after interim tests confirmed the chemical was on the site. B'Elana is recovering, but still breaks out with skin rashes.