A man walked away unscathed after a potassium cyanide scare prompted emergency services to close down a section of Cameron Road yesterday.

Firefighters and police responded to reports of the chemical spill at a dental laboratory housed in a group of shops on Cameron Rd between 16th and 17th Avenues about 1pm yesterday.

Bay of Plenty Coast, Fire Service area commander Murray Binning and Tauranga Police Senior Sergeant Carl Purcell question the man exposed to the potassium cyanide. Photos: Luke Balvert.

Up to five fire appliances and the Hazmat Command Unit were at the scene while police closed the northbound lane, between 17th and 15th Ave, for about two hours.

Bay of Plenty Coast, Fire Service area commander Murray Binning says the man, who self-admitted himself to Tauranga Hospital after he was exposed to a vial of the hazardous chemical, is showing no health risks.

Both the man and another woman who was on the premises at the time were checked at the hospital.

'He was discharged, and they [hospital staff] were happy with his condition,” says Murray. 'He returned to the scene and seemed to be okay.

'My understanding is that the vial was knocked off the table while they were moving into the premises as a temporary facility.”

Cyanide in its pure, undiluted form is a very hazardous and dangerous chemical. In this case it turned out to be reasonably diluted.

At the scene two firefighters could be seen donning special gas suits before entering the building. The pair cleaned up the spill and the materials involved.

'The incident was concluded satisfactorily and the firefighters cleaned up the remnants of the spillage, and ventilated the building,” adds Murray.

'We did our readings to ensure that the atmosphere was clear and the building was fit to reoccupy.”

A WorkSafe spokesperson is looking into whether the organisation is investigating the incident.