Ashburton school incident: Reports of children unwell after ‘low reading’ of chemical found, two taken to hospital

Emergency services have been called to St Joseph’s School this morning after reports of people feeling unwell.

Two people have been taken to hospital after children became unwell at a South Island primary school.

Both patients were in a minor condition when they were taken to Ashburton Hospital, a Hato Hone St John Ambulance spokeswoman said.

The alarm was raised at St Joseph’s School in the mid-Canterbury town of Ashburton just before 9.40am after children began feeling unwell.

Two ambulances and an operations’ manager were sent, along with multiple Fire and Emergency crews. Police were also contacted.

A “low reading” of a chemical was discovered, Fire and Emergency Southern Communications’ shift manager Blair Walklin said.

A person who answered the phone at St Joseph’s just before 11am told the Herald the school’s principal wasn’t immediately available to speak as she was “busy with parents and the fire people”.

As well as ambulance crews, three appliances were sent from Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade and a specialist hazmat person from Timaru was called in, but stood down before arriving, Fire and Emergency said.