Lorneville residents were asked to shut their windows and doors yesterday after an ammonia leak at Alliance’s meat-processing plant.
Emergency services were called to the incident at 12.06pm in Crowe Rd.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said two fire crews from Invercargill, one from Thornbury as well as a crew and a tanker from Wallacetown initially attended the call.
On arrival, they confirmed the ammonia leak and requested more support.
Two more crews from Invercargill and Fenz’s hazardous materials unit were sent to the scene, he said.
"Crew located the ammonia leak in one of the buildings.
"They’ve worked with the on-site staff to isolate the area. Crews and a specialist team entered the building with PPE to ensure no-one was at the building."
During the afternoon, Fenz released a statement saying the crew was dispersing and diluting the gas cloud associated with the leak.
"While this is under way, people in the immediate area are asked to continue to stay indoors and keep their doors and windows closed as a precaution."
Alliance Group manufacturing general manager Willie Wiese said the ammonia leak occurred in a cold storeroom at the Lorneville plant.
Two employees required medical attention on-site.
"The site was immediately evacuated and Fire and Emergency New Zealand attended the incident. Our engineers have isolated the leak and repairs are under way," he said yesterday.
