Christchurch daycare expresses 'deep regret' after children suffer chemical burns

Friday, 5 December 2025

A Christchurch daycare has expressed its 'deep regret' after five children and two staff members were hospitalised with chemical burns when kitchen steriliser detergent was mistakenly poured onto a waterslide.

The incident occurred at the Kindercare Learning Centre on Ferry Rd in Woolston on Friday afternoon.

A spokesperson for the centre said the chemical detergent, normally used for the kitchen steriliser unit, was 'mistakenly believed to be dishwashing liquid' and poured onto a slide with water for a 'slip 'n' slide' activity.

'Kindercare is shocked that this incident occurred and children entrusted to our care were harmed,' the spokesperson said.

'We express our deep regret and acknowledge just how distressing this is to parents and families.'

Emergency services were called at 1.13pm to reports of a chemical incident involving preschool-aged children and staff. The centre was put into lockdown, the area was cordoned off, and caregivers were notified.

When the parents and families arrived, some looked frantic while retrieving the children. Emergency workers were seen carrying children from the scene in blankets or on stretchers.

Hato Hone St John assessed 40 patients at the scene. Seven were treated and taken to Christchurch Hospital – one in a serious condition and six in a moderate condition. Two others with minor injuries were given advice but did not require hospital treatment.

In an update released by the daycare at 6.56pm, all patients had been discharged.

The centre said its first priority is to ensure the children received the medical attention they needed and it was supporting families to keep them informed.

“Kindercare is taking this seriously and will ensure a full investigation takes place.”

The incident drew 14 emergency vehicles to the centre.

The substance was poured down a playground slide, which children then slid down.

A teacher, who had been at the base of the slide, was among those taken to hospital, St John’s National operations manager Chris Harrison said on Friday afternoon.

Harrison said parents had been “pretty upset, but they’ve also been pragmatic about the situation”.

“The childcare facility has responded well.”

Parent Nikita Wagstaff was getting ready for work when she heard reports of a chemical incident at her daughter's preschool.

“I was like, ‘Oh shit, what’s happened?’…I just raced out.”

“My first thought was something happened in the kitchen, it’s next to the babies’ room. [I thought] What’s happened? Is this really serious?”

She said the centre told parents the issue was a waterslide having a chemical on it and that it was “an accident. It got mixed up.”

Her daughter was OK, she said. She had a small burn on her hand that looked more like a blister.

Another man told reporters of the fright at learning of the news.

“The first instinct was to come and see him, you know, make sure he was alright,” he said, holding his grandson.

He said the chemical incident did not occur in his grandson’s area of the centre, and that things seemed OK inside daycare.

“They’re pretty well organised, the kids seem to be well looked after.

“There's plenty of kids in there running around, they seem quite happy.”

Andrea Williams of the Ministry of Education said: “We are in close contact with the early learning service and are offering our support. We will continue to work alongside them regarding the incident and take any necessary steps to ensure the wellbeing of children and staff.”

WorkSafe was investigating the incident and would gather evidence from the daycare, a spokesperson said.