One of Sydney’s leading hotels has been hit by a chemical scare. Thirty people have been treated outside the luxury Pulman Hotel after hydrochloric acid and chlorine gases entered the ventilation system.

Zakary Nash reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Guests and staff were evacuated from the four-star hotel by fire crews following an accidental mixing of chemicals.

Toxic fumes leaked from the air-conditioning system into the top floors of the hotel.

Mathias Otterstedt, Hotel Guest: “I exited the elevator, it was an acute smell of chlorine, in the air. Nothing obvious or a spill or anything but it was sort of coming out from the vents.”

It’s believed the overpowering odour was caused during routine work on the hotel pool.

Charles Begley, Fire and Rescue: “It’s turned out that one of the workers has mixed two of the pool chemicals together inadvertently and there has been a gas off reaction to that. Which has caused fumes to work their way through the building.”

Six people were taken to hospital and 24 people were treated for minor injuries at the scene.

Emergency crews say one of those taken to hospital was the worker who caused the scare.

Police say there is no ongoing risk to the public.

The floors have since reopened at the hotel but an internal investigation continues.

Zakary Nash, QUT News.