The Otago Polytechnic has been evacuated and will be closed for the rest of the day following a bomb threat.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Otago Polytechnic chief executive Andrew McSweeney said this afternoon it was made aware “of a potential security threat affecting our campus premises”.<\/p>\n
“We became aware this morning of a brief email which made a bomb threat relating to our facility.<\/p>\n
“This message was sent to a department group email address at Otago Polytechnic.”<\/p>\n
The threat did not specify a location. Both Cromwell and W\u0101naka campuses have been closed, alongside the Dunedin one.<\/p>\n
Police were notified and were providing advice to the Polytechnic\u2019s leadership team.<\/p>\n
It was understood a similar threat was also sent to some other educational institutions in New Zealand and these were also being investigated by police, Mr McSweeney said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The polytechnic sent an email and text message to all students and staff at about noon, instructing them to leave campus buildings promptly and calmly.<\/p>\n
“We are locking down all campus buildings as people are evacuated and have implemented a walk-around campus to check for any people who didn\u2019t receive the notifications.<\/p>\n
“We expect the Dunedin and Central [Otago] campuses will remain closed for the rest of the day.”<\/p>\n
These measures were being taken as a precaution as the safety of students and staff was an absolute priority.<\/p>\n
They would be notified when the campuses reopened.<\/p>\n
Caregivers at the polytechnic\u2019s student residential village Te P\u0101 Tauira had also been contacted, Mr McSweeney said.<\/p>\n
The Hub building on Forth St is empty, with no crowds loitering.<\/p>\n
Several Otago polytech students, who declined to be named, said it was unsettling to receive the text message.<\/p>\n
The mass exodus caused a minor traffic jam in Anzac Ave, as cars all tried to leave the area.<\/p>\n
A University of Otago spokesperson said they were not impacted by the threat.<\/p>\n
“We are aware that Otago Polytechnic has today evacuated its campus as a precaution due to a potential security threat.<\/p>\n
“The University has liaised with police and the Polytechnic on this matter. Our campus is unaffected and remains open.”<\/p>\n
The spokesperson said they had not received the email in question “to the best of our knowledge”.<\/p>\n
Police have been approached for comment.<\/p>\n