Firefighters have rescued a person after they fell into a pit at a rubbish transfer station in Christchurch.

A rescue crew was dispatched to Bromley just after 2pm on Sunday.

Upon arrival, a person was found stuck in the transfer station’s refuse pit.

Hato Hone St John confirmed it treated one patient in moderate condition at the scene.

The incident occurred just days after Christchurch City Council’s Resource Recovery team and site operator EcoCentral urged residents to prioritise their safety at transfer stations.

Resource Recovery Manager Dr Alec McNeil said dangerous incidents had been increasing at the three transfer stations across the city.

“We’ve recently seen an increase in numbers of children getting out of cars as well - as well as quite a few residents getting into the pit itself,” McNeil said at the time.

“This is extremely dangerous as there is heavy machinery operating in the pit at all times and hazardous debris in the area.”

McNeil said that there were guidelines in place to protect people at transfer stations.

These guidelines include ensuring that children and pets remain inside vehicles, trailer loads are secured properly, and that fully enclosed footwear is worn.

There was also emphasis that the pit should not be entered under any circumstances, and people were asked to signal the loader operator from a safe distance or locate a staff member if they accidentally dropped something in.

“Transfer stations are busy places with high levels of traffic from both operational vehicles and other vehicles using the facility,” McNeil said.

“Please stay alert, be aware of your surroundings, and follow all signage and staff instructions.”

Hazardous items such as e-waste, batteries, paints, solvents and gas bottles should be taken to an EcoDrop Resource Recovery Centre where they can be disposed of for free.

Over the last year, there were 116 incidents of children being left unattended in cars and 28 people being seen in the refuse pit at Christchurch transfer stations.

New signage had been installed at the stations and all people crossing the weighbridge will also receive an information flyer to help address safety concerns.