BY IAN CROUCH
Workers at a Cameron Park freight depot and a neighbouring Australian Post Mail Centre have been given the all-clear to return to work following a chemical spill early Friday morning.
Fire crews were called to the Border Express depot on Stenhouse Drive at 3.45am after a forklift unloading a pallet of 30 drums of hydrochloric acid pierced two 15 litre drums.
Up to 20 people at the depot and the mail centre evacuated while Hazmat crews used water and soda ash to dilute the acid and make the area safe.
They wrapped up the operation just after 6.30am.
EARLIER
More than a dozen people have been evacuated following a chemical spill at Cameron Park early Friday morning.
Firefighters were called to the Border Express freight depot on Stenhouse Drive at 3.45am after staff noticed one of several 20 litre drums on a pallet had ruptured.
Newcastle Fire Command says five people at the depot and 10 others working at the neighbouring Australia Post mail centre evacuated as a precaution.
Newcastle Fire Command says a Hazmat crew has identified the chemical as being hydrochloric acid.
They've used water to dilute the acid and no-one's been injured.
