Emergency services have responded to central Wellington this morning after a bus carrying Wainuiomata Primary School pupils blew a head gasket and fumes affected those on board.
1News footage from the scene on Cable St showed emergency services including Fire and Emergency New Zealand, police, and Wellington Free Ambulance.
Wellington Free Ambulance said it was called to Cable St around 10am and assessed 19 patients — all in either a minor or moderate condition — with 10 patients taken to Wellington Hospital.
A cordon had been set up, and a group of children sat on the concrete outside while emergency services worked around them and inspected their bags.
Wellington central assistant district commander Matt Franklin told 1News students and teachers from Wainuiomata Primary School were travelling into the captial for a kapa haka performance when the incident occurred.
"Unfortunately, on the motorway the bus blew a head gasket. So, there's been fumes inside the cabin of the bus. They've transferred onto another bus, and some have presented with respiratory problems upon arrival at Te Papa," he explained.
He said there were 44 people on the bus – including 41 children. Nineteen children complained of respiratory problems, and "some sort of abdominal complaints".
Franklin said the rest of the children were "fully checked over by Wellington Free Ambulance staff, and now they're free to go about their day for the kapa haka performance".
Fire and Emergency New Zealand, police and Wellington Free Ambulance were filmed near Te Papa on the city’s waterfront. (Source: 1News)
In a statement on social media, Wainuiomata Primary School said there had been "complications" on one of the buses, and confirmed the parents/caregivers had been informed.
"We have just spoken to the bus company. Their mechanic has been on-site. There was no fire. The bus broke down because of a blown water hose," they wrote.
The school confirmed "the children at hospital are all doing well. They are currently under observation and are expected to be released in a couple of hours."
Te Papa said the incident was unrelated to the museum.
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