Playground poison sickens kids
More than 60 children and 14 adults were taken to Adelaide hospitals today after a playground was contaminated with a toxic substance.
Police are hunting whoever pasted a poisonous sticky black herbicide on a child’s slide at the popular St Kilda playground in the city’s northwest.
It is believed the substance was a type of liquid organophosphate that causes headaches, nausea and dizziness.
A primary school group of 61 children aged eight and nine, and 14 adults, had stopped at the public playground about 3pm as part of an Adelaide excursion.
Police were called when the substance was noticed, and a hazardous materials emergency was declared, involving a number of agencies.
The state emergency centre was opened, and a command established to co-ordinate police, ambulance, fire and health authorities.
A total of 41 children and nine adults were taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital from a museum in Port Adelaide after having left the park.
None of them remained ill, but they are all being assessed for decontamination as a precaution.
A second group of 20 children and five adults were taken to the Lyell McEwen hospital from the playground. They have been cleared of any illness, but they are also still being assessed for decontamination as a precaution.
A further two adults and two children – separate to the school group – have since voluntary presented at the Modbury Hospital and are also being assessed.
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