Whanganui Hospital reopens after bomb scare lockdown

A sign on one of the entrances to Whanganui Hospital. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui Hospital had to go into lockdown this afternoon after a bomb threat was received.

The police say they received a report someone had made a call to Whanganui Hospital at 2.25pm today and threatened to use an explosive.

A police spokesperson said the hospital went into a lockdown protocol as a precaution.

No evidence was found to substantiate the threat and the hospital was reopened at 4.30pm.

The police said they will be making further inquiries into the phone call that was made, but no one has been taken into custody at this stage.

Whanganui District Health Board chief executive Russell Simpson said the hospital had enacted full lockdown procedures from about 2.30pm and staff had talked to police to assess the level of risk.

At just after 5pm, Simpson said all services had resumed and the campus had been cleared.

"We did have a few disgruntled people who couldn't get in or out, and whilst I appreciate the inconvenience to them, their safety is the main concern for us, as is the safety of our own staff.

"Most people have been understanding, but obviously we take any threats seriously.

"Everything has been de-escalated."

During the lockdown all life and limb procedures, as well as emergency care, were continued Simpson said.

Whanganui Hospital enacted a lockdown after a bomb threat. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui man Peter Maskery said he had an appointment and a nurse rang to cancel.

She told him "nobody was allowed in and nobody was allowed out of the hospital".

A Whanganui Chronicle photographer on the scene said there were no police cars visible in the area at the time of the lockdown, but it was clear people couldn't get into the hospital building because the doors were not opening.