A Queensland school has been forced to shut its gates after students allegedly brought mercury onto campus, triggering an emergency response and health checks for multiple people.
Emergency crews and scientific officers were sent to Cunnamulla State School after the toxic metal was discovered on school grounds on Monday, with authorities now investigating several areas of concern across the site.
The school, which caters for students from kindergarten through to Year 12 in the state’s southwest, about 750km west of Brisbane, remained closed on Tuesday while specialist assessments continued.
A spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Education said staff moved quickly after the substance was identified.
“School staff acted immediately to remove the substance from the students and contacted relevant council and health authorities to report the incident,” the spokesperson said.
“Parents and carers of involved students were informed and advised to seek medical attention for their children.”
Mercury is considered highly toxic and can cause serious health complications if absorbed through the skin or ingested, including damage to major organs.
The Queensland Fire Department confirmed firefighters and scientific officers had been deployed to the scene after the hazardous material was detected.
Authorities said several locations within the school had since been identified as potential contamination sites.
The Queensland Department of Education said the school would remain closed until experts deemed it safe to reopen.
