New Zealand post shop closed due to "fart bomb"

February 21, 2007

An Albany, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand Post shop and the surrounding roads were closed today due to an Internet magazine giving away free promotional "fart bombs" which went off during postal sorting.

After the "fart bomb" exploded due to other mail items being placed on top of the magazines, worried postal workers called the firefighters' hazardous substance unit to the post office. The arrival of the firefighters resulted in the post shop and the surrounding roads closure at around 8.00 a.m. (NZDT). Mike McEnaney, acting deputy chief fire officer of the North Shore, said that the postal workers had no choice but to call the fire brigade when they noticed the smell. "Until you can identify what the substance is you have got the potential there for a hazardous chemical incident."

Douglas Lyell, fire service officer, said that the postal workers described the smell as sulphur like. Mr. McEnaney said that after the smell was identified, both firefighters and the postal workers kept a good distance. "It was definitely a smell of sulphur."

Mr. Lyell said that when the firefighters and the hazardous substance unit were able to trace the smell back to the burst "fart bomb" the post shop and surrounding roads were reopened.

Mr. Lyell now asks the magazine to consider changing their packaging.