No chemicals found at site of mall-scare

One of the St John paramedics is treated at the scene before being taken to Middlemore Hospital. Photo / Daniel Hines

Ambulance trio end up in hospital after treating suspected druggie shooting up in shopping centre toilet.

No chemicals have been found at the site of a South Auckland shopping centre where three paramedics became unwell while treating a man yesterday.

A cleaner found the man slumped over in a toilet cubical at about 1.20pm and paramedics were thought to have come into contact with a chemical while treating him.

Counties Manukau Fire Service assistant area commander Craig Monrad said police removed drug paraphernalia including a syringe and prescription medications from the area where the man had become unwell.

The man said he had been injecting morphine, Mr Monrad said.

No other substances or chemicals were located.

Mr Monrad didn't know what had made the St John ambulance staff unwell.

The Fire Service always erred on the side of caution and it had treated yesterday's reports of chemicals as a serious risk, he said.

The case was closed as far as the Fire Service was concerned.

Emergency services on the scene responded to the incident. Photo / Dan Hines, NZ Herald

St John spokesman Robbie Walker said the three paramedics and the male patient were transported to Middlemore Hospital in Otahuhu after the ordeal.

The original patient and one paramedic were initially in a serious condition. The others were less sick.

One of the paramedics was treated and discharged soon after arrival at Middlemore, and the other two were discharged last night.

The original patient was still in the emergency department last night but was stable, Middlemore spokeswoman Lauren Young said.

Westfield spokeswoman Debra McGhie said the mall was not evacuated and all shops were open and operating again by 3pm.

She said because there wasn't a "security threat" to the shopping centre, no security measures would be stepped up.

The man this afternoon remained in a stable condition in a ward at Middlemore Hospital, said hospital spokeswoman Lauren Young.

He declined to speak to media.

- Additional reporting from The New Zealand Herald