Symptoms of exposure to the chemical-laden smoke that blanketed portions of east 91原创 and carried into Burnaby could be delayed by as much as 24 hours, health officials warned after a massive container fire at the port Wednesday afternoon.
91原创 police officers in full-face gas masks helped evacuate workers and residents from the Downtown Eastside after the streets darkened with smoke fuelled by trichloroisocyanuric acid, a chemical commonly used to chlorinate pools.
鈥淎ll civilians get inside right away. If you live in the immediate area, go home,鈥� ordered one officer through the loudspeaker of his patrol car. 鈥淭his is not a test.鈥�
Police ordered people to leave or stay indoors in a partial evacuation zone that stretched west from Nanaimo to Main streets and south to Hastings Street, and advised anyone north of First Avenue to close their windows.
Dr. Meena Dawar, a medical health officer with 91原创 Coast Health, said late Wednesday symptoms of exposure to trichloroisocyanuric acid may take time to appear.
鈥淧eople exposed to the smoke who experience wheezing or difficulty breathing, particularly those with underlying lung problems, should seek medical attention,鈥� she said.
The four-alarm hazardous materials fire started in a container at the Centerm container terminal and spread to other containers, according to officials. 91原创 Fire and Rescue Services Capt. Carol Messenger said the call came in at 1:38 p.m., and at least 10 fire trucks and more than two dozen firefighters responded. A pair of fire boats were later dispatched to attack the blaze from the north end of Centennial Pier.
The fire forced the cancellation of the West Coast Express commuter train and the rerouting of some buses.
Many businesses located within a few blocks of the fire shut down their operations, allowing employees to leave. Some who fled plugged their noses and covered their mouths to protect their lungs from the smoke and pungent smell.
Eric Chibana, who works in the neighbourhood, said he could smell the fire from inside his building. At first the hazy air smelled liked rubber but then it changed, he said.
鈥淵ou know, you can barely make out the vehicle across the street,鈥� Chibana said.
Despite the continued police patrols, hundreds of people remained on the streets in the Downtown Eastside, the area nearest the fire. Area residents stood outside shelters, sat on street curbs, and chatted while watching the action. Nearby, shoppers at the Sunrise fruit and vegetable market on Powell Street and Gore Avenue continued their errands, undeterred by warnings over police loudspeakers, and TransLink bus drivers picked up and dropped off passengers at transit stops.
Lani Brunn, with the Lookout Emergency Aid Society, walked through the neighbourhood offering people refuge inside nearby shelters that the society operates.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just inviting everyone that doesn鈥檛 have somewhere to go to come into our buildings,鈥� she said.
But some people chose to remain outdoors.
Tara Ducheminsky was among those who fled the area. She had been working on Alexander Street not far from the port and when her employers started to evacuate the business, she left too.
鈥淚鈥檓 feeling good right now,鈥� said Ducheminsky, who walked briskly away from the fire while covering her mouth and nose with her sweater.
The dangerous acid can also be found in dry household bleaches, dishwashing compounds and other cleaning agents, according to the federal government.
Gavin Wilson, a spokesman with the health authority, said emergency departments had not seen people arriving and showing symptoms of exposure as of Wednesday afternoon.
鈥淚t can irritate the eyes and respiratory system,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a strong chemical and people should avoid breathing it, getting it in their eyes or on their skin. But the risks are short-term.鈥�
The Centerm terminal and nearby port properties were evacuated, according to Port Metro 91原创, and all Burrard Inlet south-shore port operations were shut down, including rail and truck access.
West Coast Express service departing Waterfront Station was cancelled Wednesday and TransLink eventually rerouted its buses. The transit authority released a statement around 5:30 p.m. advising it was stopping bus service north of Broadway between Boundary Road and Cambie Street.
About 10 minutes later, the shelter in place order in 91原创 was lifted by the fire chief.
The B.C. Ambulance Service said three ambulances were dispatched to the scene, but no patients were taken to hospital.
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