Another 19 people were exposed to the gas, and taken for examination at Wanganui Hospital, reports The New Zealand Herald
Hydrogen sulfide is a colourless, poisonous, flammable gas which has a strong smell, similar to rotten eggs and can affect lungs and breathing.
People in the area said the first they knew of the incident was a very strong smell of sulphur.
One local resident said the smell was “enough to make you dry retch” while a shopowner nearby said: “I heard the sirens and came outside, and that’s when I noticed the bad smell. It was very strong.”
The condition of the 19 other people taken to Wanganui Hospital is not yet known.
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