<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Five people have been taken to hospital after a parcel containing a prohibited substance is believed to have caused a chemical leak at two Australia Post locations in Queensland.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Emergency services were called to a parcel processing facility in Townsville and a post office in Charters Towers around 6.40am today over reports of fumes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Queensland Fire Department said crews identified a leaking contaminated package at Townsville and set up an exclusion zone.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/atm-closures-australia-2024-25-apra-data/7a5617be-1c91-4825-9ff4-842a7e55e945" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Hundreds of closures cutting off Aussies' access to cash</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One staff member was taken to the local hospital in a stable condition for precautionary monitoring. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Queensland Fire Department said the package had contaminated other parcels, which had been transported to Charters Towers this morning before the leak was noticed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Four more staff members at the Charters Towers location were taken to the nearby hospital with mild symptoms of chemical exposure. </span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/australia-post-townsville-charter-towers-five-hospitalised-after-chemical-leak-from-parcel/bf4f979a-ef3e-4fee-bf1a-a2959788206e" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>9news.com.au understands they have all since been discharged. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Firefighters in HAZMAT equipment have decontaminated both sites, safely contained the affected parcels and conducted atmospheric testing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police also attended both scenes to help.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The hazardous substance inside the parcel is believed to be prohibited.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia Post warned against sending dangerous, prohibited and restricted goods through the parcel system and said it would continue to support its affected staff. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The safety of our team members is our number one priority and Australia Post has strong, well-established safety protocols around these incidents. We continue to support our team members," an Australia Post spokesperson said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We remind all customers of the important safety regulations in place around the sending of dangerous, prohibited and restricted goods."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Operations at the processing facility in Townsville are operating as normal, but the post office in Charters Towers remains closed until it is safe to reopen.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f"><em><strong><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727"><em><strong><span>Apple App Store</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU"><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span>.</span></strong></em><span></span></div></div>