Emergency services called to gas leak

A police spokeswoman said police were blocking the road on Great South Rd in Penrose. Photo / File

The Fire Service and police attended a gas leak tonight in Auckland.

A police spokeswoman said police were blocking the road on Great South Rd in Penrose, and were in attendance along with Fire Service crews.

A Fire Service spokeswoman said t​he gas leak was at 970 Great South Rd, at BOC Gas & Gear.

Five fire crews are at the scene, along with a Hazmat unit, a command unit and several operational support units.

A Fire Service spokesman said the gas leak is a "carbide spill".

He said carbide on its own is not dangerous, but it "reacts very violently with water" and becomes acetylene, which is very volatile.

Great South Rd was closed​ between Church St and Sylvia Park, and a 500m exclusion zone had been set up.

The spokesman said gas detectors were being used to ascertain the gas levels at the scene.

A BOC spokeswoman said all workers onsite have been evacuated, and the company is working with emergency services to "ensure the safety and well-being of everyone around the site".

A St John spokeswoman said they have had no reports of injuries but are on standby.

She said police had set up cordons in the area.