Two staff at a Mosgiel school required medical treatment after they were overwhelmed by fumes from a parcel sent to the school by New Zealand Post.
The secretary and a teacher from Amana Christian School in Gordon Rd both inhaled the fumes - described by school manager Roslyn King as ‘‘like toxic melting plastic'' - after a box containing entry forms for New Zealand Post's annual Design a Stamp competition arrived and was opened in the school office yesterday morning.
A few hours later both women began complaining of having trouble talking properly, tiredness, nausea and dizziness.
Mrs King said staff at the local medical centre were unable to say what exactly had brought on the women's symptoms, but suggested the Fire Service should be called to dispose of the parcel.
There appeared to be nothing unusual about the parcel. She was ‘‘horrified'' the same might happen to staff at other Mosgiel schools and spent the rest of the afternoon contacting schools to warn them not to open the NZ Post package.
The package was taken to a safe place in the school's yard about noon and picked up by firefighters when they were called about 3.30pm.
Senior station officer Angus McLean said they then collected similar parcels from other schools in Mosgiel.
The parcels would be kept in a lidded rubbish bin at the station until the Fire Service received further advice from NZ Post.
A NZ Post spokeswoman said the company was aware of the Mosgiel incident and was investigating.
‘‘We are taking this very seriously, it is very unusual situation.''
She said the competition parcels were sent to all primary schools in New Zealand during the past week and this was the first report of fumes overwhelming people.
A letter from NZ Post would be sent during the weekend advising schools who had not opened the package to refrain from doing so.