Firefighters require hazmat suits

Firefighters from Takapuna Fire Station attended a call at Westlake Boys’ High School after a small pot of bromine overheated and popped open in the science lab storage area.

Staff at the school called the station on December 6 just after 2pm and the firefighters went to investigate.

On arrival, the incident was deemed a full hazmat incident, and the nearby East Coast Bays station was called, as well as South Auckland’s Otara fire station, which carries decontamination equipment.

Two firefighters from East Coast Bays dressed in ‘‘level three’’ specially designed hazmat suits, and entered the science lab.

Level one describes the uniform firefighters wear while at the station, level two suits are used to fight fires and level three suits are worn around chemicals.

The firefighters placed the pot of bromine into an air-tight container that was later removed by a private company for disposal.

The crews were at the scene for two hours.

The firefighters wearing the hazmat gear had to take a shower before they removed the suits.

Bromine is corrosive to human tissue in liquid form, and its vapours are toxic and irritating to the eyes and throat.

The 35th element on the Table of the Elements is used in everyday products such as pesticides.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED Firefighters had to go through a decontamination process after a chemical overheated.