Emergency services responded to a chemical incident near New Zealand‘s Parliament on April 22, 2025. Smoke was seen coming from the former Ministry of Education offices in Wellington. The incident occurred at Bowen Street, prompting the closure of half the street and the deployment of multiple fire trucks, including a Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) unit.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand reported that the situation involved a reaction between two hazardous epoxy chemicals. Smoke was observed from the building around 1:25 pm New Zealand time, prompting immediate action by the authorities. Police assisted with traffic management at key intersections, including Bowen and Tinakori, Bowen and The Terrace, and Bowen and Sydney Streets.

“Police have closed half of Bowen Street in Wellington, with several fire engines and a Hazmat control unit present at the scene,” an eyewitness stated.
However, the reaction between the chemicals stopped after firefighters reached the site, and the building was evacuated and ventilated.

At around 3 pm, there were approximately 10 Fire and Emergency New Zealand vehicles, including specialist units equipped to handle hazardous substances, at the scene.

There have been no reports of injuries, and it remains unclear whether any buildings were evacuated during the incident. Authorities are still finding the cause of the fire.Authorities continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates as more information becomes available.