Outback town in lockdown after teenagers bring toxic metal to school
Robyn Wuth
The only mercury that usually rises in Cunnamulla is in the summer heat. That was until teenagers brought bottles of dangerous liquid metal to school this week, prompting the lockdown of much of the country town.
Believing they had found something special in the local tip, the young people took the vials and took them to class to show and tell about their poisonous find.
Doug Faircloth, bar owner of Hotel Cunnamulla, said locals were more confused than panicked, even though authorities quarantined parts of the town.
“Some kids found some mercury in the dumpster, then they were playing with it at school and things got a little crazy,” he said.
“I don’t know how it happened, I don’t know how they found it, and I don’t know how it got there.”
Mercury is a highly toxic heavy metal and exposure through skin contact, smoke, or ingestion can cause damage to the brain, kidneys, and nervous system.
“Honestly, Australia has become a complete nanny state; I remember the old days when there was mercury in thermometers and they would break them and play with it.”
Paroo Shire Council Mayor Suzette Beresford believes the young people had good intentions when bringing the bottles into the town.
“I think they’ll show and tell with mercury,” he said.
“They were high school kids who probably shouldn’t have been searching the dumpster.”
Rather than an impromptu science demonstration, the discovery led to the cordoning off of Cunnamulla P-12 Public School, a BP service station, hospital waiting room, seven private homes, a municipal warehouse and the town’s garbage dump as officials scrambled to contain any contamination.
Some families were moved to an evacuation center while emergency crews assessed whether their homes were safe.
Fear has effectively frozen daily life in Cunnamulla, a town of about 1000 people nine hours’ drive west of Brisbane.
The public school, which has about 130 students, has been closed since Monday’s incident and will remain closed Thursday.
“The school and department will continue to follow advice from Queensland Health and the Queensland Fire Department regarding the reopening of the school,” a spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Due to student and staff privacy, no further details can be provided.”
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said teams of personnel had been dispatched from Brisbane, including firefighters and specialist scientific teams trained to work with hazardous materials.
Firefighters conduct atmospheric tests around key areas, taking air readings to ensure mercury levels do not rise and pose a risk to those nearby.
Once sanitary checks and decontamination are completed, teams are expected to search the dump for any remaining bottles; This process may take days.
Authorities believe the mercury may be linked to the illegal dumping of medical waste and this will be part of the investigation once the town is declared safe.
“Whether people know there is mercury in everything they throw away is something we really don’t know much about at this stage,” Beresford said.
He said the children were checked and checked by medical personnel.
“We have QFES people there now, hazmat experts, and they will try to rehabilitate the areas until we get the all clear,” the mayor added.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services crews say decontamination could take days and more locations are likely to be added as the investigation continues.
AAP
