Radio New Zealand: Children injured after chemical detergent used on daycare waterslide

At least five children have suffered chemical burns after a corrosive product was used on a water slide instead of detergent at a Christchurch childcare centre.

RNZ understands the children and two adults have been taken to hospital from Kindercare in Woolston, one of whom is in a serious condition and the others in a moderate condition.

Woolston senior station officer John Herriot said a corrosive product had mistakenly been used instead of detergent on a makeshift waterslide.

"The teachers have had a waterslide - bit of fun for the kids - out the back today and at some point of time some detergent's unfortunately been misidentified and a corrosive product has ended up on the slip and slide. This has caused some irritation to the children's skin and some light blistering.

"We've just responded with our specialist hazmat response along with ... St John to resolve the issue."

Herriot said the chemical was a corrosive agent which could be used as a type of detergent, but was "used in the wrong situation" on this occasion.

St John said it was alerted to the incident at the Kindercare daycare at 1.13pm.

In total, 40 patients were assessed and those that were not taken to hospital are uninjured, it said.

In a statement, the Kindercare confirmed the substance involved was a chemical detergent used in the centre's kitchen steriliser unit, which staff had mistakenly believed was dishwashing liquid before pouring it onto the slide for a "slip 'n slide" activity.