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A fire at the Port of Metro Vancouver Wednesday afternoon prompted a Hazmat response, the evacuation of hundreds of people and forced the closure of the port.
Trichloroisocyanuric acid (a bleaching agent and industrial disinfectant) was burning for more than an hour. The fire started in one shipping container, quickly spreading to three containers.
Rod Tulett with the Metro Vancouver Emergency Response Team sits in his vehicle on Alexander Street- monitoring the direction of the smoke.
His job is to determine any health effects as a result of this chemical fire.
“The instruments say that it’s not too bad, I can’t really quantify not too bad, however as the smoke moves around and thickens up, or smoothes out, that may change.”
Some evacuees say they aren’t yet concerned about the potentially dangerous toxins in the area.
“Not really no, it didn’t really seem to be that bothersome.”
“No, not now, not yet.”
Other pedestrians are wearing masks, while others cover their mouths and noses to protect their lungs.
Officials say no one is injured directly from the scene of the fire.
However, three patients have been checked in to St. Pauls hospital.
Heather Oliver, with BC EHS says all three are being treated for respiratory irritation and are not in critical condition.
Two of the patients are from the 100 block of Princess Street close the afternoon blaze.
But, one is from further over at Vancouver’s West End.
Vancouver are hospitals were on high-alert all day- ready to treat anyone with respiratory complications.
#BREAKING Vancouver BC Firefighters working to put out fire at PortMetro Vancouver. No injuries reported.#LiveOnKOMO pic.twitter.com/euKUu0qIj6
— Gerardo (@grlopez4) March 4, 2015
Agencies/Canadajournal
