Five people have been taken to hospital after a parcel containing a prohibited substance is believed to have caused a chemical leak at two Australia Post locations in Queensland.

Emergency services were called to a parcel processing facility in Townsville and a post office in Charters Towers around 6.40am today over reports of fumes.

The Queensland Fire Department said crews identified a leaking contaminated package at Townsville and set up an exclusion zone.

One staff member was taken to the local hospital in a stable condition for precautionary monitoring. 

The Queensland Fire Department said the package had contaminated other parcels, which had been transported to Charters Towers this morning before the leak was noticed.

Four more staff members at the Charters Towers location were

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