Experts to clean up pesticide spill

Hazardous chemical experts from the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) are preparing to fly to Wudinna, on the Eyre Peninsula, to clean up a pesticide spill.

This morning a semitrailer driver discovered that a 20-litre drum of pesticide had ruptured while he was stopped overnight at a parking bay on the Eyre Highway, five kilometres from Wudinna.

CFS volunteers are directing traffic around the area as they wait for chemical experts to arrive from Adelaide.

Brenton Ragless from the CFS says the spill is not posing an immediate safety risk, but firefighters are being extra cautious.

"As with any chemical, we don't want to take any chances, so that's why we've called in specialist crews, specially trained in hazardous material response and they're going to be wearing gas-type space suits which protects them from the chemical," Mr Ragless said.

"They're wearing breathing apparatus inside.

"So we're taking every precaution necessary to make sure this area is declared safe."