WorkSafe making inquiries into chemical spill at Whanganui dry cleaning business

Part of Victoria Ave, Whanganui, was closed as emergency services responded to a chemical spill at a dry cleaning business on February 28. Photo / Eva de Jong

WorkSafe is making inquiries after two people were taken to hospital after a chemical spill at a Whanganui dry-cleaning business.

Four fire trucks and a number of police cars were called to La Nuova Dry Cleaning on Victoria Ave about 12.50pm on Friday. A Fire and Emergency New Zealand hazardous response team was sent to Whanganui Hospital to prevent further contamination on the site.

La Nuova Dry Cleaning owner Brad Craig said he had logged the event with WorkSafe and could not comment further until inquiries had been carried out.

“All I can say is that the two people that were injured and went to hospital were not our employees, they were from a third-party company,” Craig said.

“They were released from hospital later that day and from all accounts are doing okay.”

WorkSafe said a health and safety concern had been raised about a chemical spill in Whanganui.

“We are making initial inquiries to understand the circumstances but, at this stage, it is not an investigation.”

At the time of the incident, Fire and Emergency New Zealand Manawatū-Whanganui assistant commander Craig Gold said the chemical had been on-site for a number of years and people were trying to get rid of the substance when it had been spilled.

The chemical – perchloroethylene – is widely used for dry cleaning fabrics to dissolve grease stains.

It was not harmful in small amounts but a concentrated amount that had evaporated into a gas could be dangerous, Gold said.

Hato Hone St John said two patients, one in a serious condition and one in a moderate condition, were taken to Whanganui Hospital.

Firefighters successfully contained the spill and the business is open to the public.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.