Chemical Chaos: Five Hospitalised After Hazardous Insecticide Leak at Australia Post Offices in North Queensland
- Five people rushed to hospital after being exposed to toxic chemical at two Australia Post sites in Townsville and Charters Towers
- Hazardous insecticide leaks from package during parcel processing, sparking emergency evacuation and hospitalisations
- One person remains in hospital for testing, while four others have been discharged after suffering minor irritations
In a shocking incident that has left authorities and residents reeling, five people have been hospitalised after a hazardous insecticide leaked from a package at two Australia Post offices in North Queensland.
The drama unfolded just before 7:00am when paramedics responded to reports of a chemical leak at the Australia Post outlets in Townsville and Charters Towers. A package containing the toxic substance had leaked during parcel processing at the Townsville building on Morris Street, prompting an emergency evacuation and the hospitalisation of one staff member.
“The patient was in a stable condition,” a Townsville University Hospital spokesperson said, as an exclusion zone remained in place at the Townsville site.
The same chemical was also found on equipment at the Charters Towers Post Office, with four patients transported to the local health service after suffering minor irritations. All four have since been discharged.
“The safety of our team members is our number one priority and Australia Post has strong, well-established safety protocols around these incidents,” an Australia Post spokesperson said, reminding customers of the importance of adhering to safety regulations when sending dangerous, prohibited, and restricted goods.
The Queensland Fire Department conducted urgent testing to determine the type of chemical involved, with Acting Townsville Station Officer Lee Burke confirming that it was a hazardous insecticide. The fire department may refer the matter to Queensland Police for further investigation.