1 dead after ammonia leak in Kamloops, B.C., industrial park
1 dead after ammonia leak in Kamloops, B.C., industrial park
1 dead after ammonia leak in Kamloops, B.C., industrial park
One person is dead following an ammonia leak at Arctic Glacier, an ice-making business in Kamloops, B.C., on Thursday morning.
The victim was a contractor hired to do maintenance work at the business, according to Kamloops assistant chief of operations Darryl Cooper.
He said the news was upsetting for the community.
"I know the firefighting community was affected by it quite strongly. Not a good day when we can't affect a rescue to save somebody,” Cooper said.
Two other workers managed to escape the scene.
Deputy fire chief Ryan Cail said the incident appears to have been caused by a "malfunction with an ammonia bottle."
"The valve was dislodged, broke or malfunctioned. We're not aware of how it was discharged, but a large amount of ammonia was released," Cail said.
In a statement, Arctic Glacier described what happened as an "unexpected accident," and said the tragedy has left staff devastated.
"Artic Glacier is working co-operatively with all regulatory authorities and other workplace parties involved in the matter," the company said. "We would like to thank first responders for their efforts in responding expeditiously to the incident."
B.C. Emergency Health Services told CTV News paramedics transported three patients to hospital, one of whom was in critical condition. Others were assessed at the scene.
The City of Kamloops later confirmed one patient died at Royal Inland Hospital.
Officials said the leak was discovered at 790 East Sarcee St., in the Mount Paul Industrial Park, forcing the temporary evacuation of a number of nearby businesses.
The evacuations have since been lifted and the public has been allowed to return to the area.
WorkSafeBC said a team of occupational health and safety officers has been deployed to Kamloops to launch an investigation, but could not provide any further details.
Kamloops RCMP and the B.C. Coroners Service are also investigating.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth addressed the incident in a statement, offering "deepest condolences to the grieving family and friends of the deceased individual."
"Our hearts are with them," Farnworth said.
"Workers and their families should not have to worry about their safety and well-being when they are on the job. Tragedies such as this strengthen our resolve to ensure everyone in B.C. can enjoy a safe workplace."
Ammonia is commonly found in refrigeration systems, fertilizers and cleaning products, and high concentrations can be fatal "within a few breaths," according to WorkSafeBC.
Back in 2017, an ammonia leak in the small community of Fernie resulted in tragedy, claiming the lives of three men at the local hockey arena.
An investigative report later released by Technical Safety BC blamed the leak on an aging ice-chilling system that was well past its service life, and warned of increased reports of ammonia-related incidents in the refrigeration industry.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Tahmina Aziz and The Canadian Press
The Conservative Party of Canada's leadership election organizing committee says it has disqualified candidate Patrick Brown from the race. Election committee chair Ian Brodie says in a statement the party became aware of 'serious allegations of wrongdoing' by Brown's campaign that appear to violate financing rules in the Canada Elections Act.
An emergency resolution before the Assembly of First Nations annual meeting to reaffirm the suspension of National Chief RoseAnne Archibald has failed in Vancouver.
Two young emergency room doctors, raised and trained in Montreal, are leaving their jobs after only two years to move back to Toronto – and they say the Quebec health-care model and Bill 96 are to blame.
The Crown is seeking to revoke bail for Tamara Lich, a leader of the 'Freedom Convoy,' after she appeared alongside a fellow organizer in an alleged breach of her conditions.
A man charged Tuesday with seven counts of murder after firing off more than 70 rounds at an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago legally bought five weapons, including the high-powered rifle used in the shooting, despite authorities being called to his home twice in 2019 for threats of violence and suicide, police said.
The Bank of Canada's strategy of rapidly increasing its key interest rate in an effort to tackle skyrocketing inflation will likely trigger a recession, says a new study released Tuesday from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Canada became the first country to ratify Finland and Sweden's accession protocols to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday.
Two Saanich, B.C., police officers remain in hospital Tuesday, including one in intensive care, a week after six officers were injured and two suspects were killed in a brazen bank robbery and gunfight near Victoria.
The Conservative Party of Canada's leadership election organizing committee says it has disqualified candidate Patrick Brown from the race. Election committee chair Ian Brodie says in a statement the party became aware of 'serious allegations of wrongdoing' by Brown's campaign that appear to violate financing rules in the Canada Elections Act.
The father of the Edmonton girl who was missing for nine days said he was getting ready to post another update on Facebook last Saturday when police knocked on his door.
A U.S. basketball commentator has found himself in the hot seat over comments he made about Toronto and its relationship with Black athletes amid rumours one of the best in the game could be headed north of the border.
As flight delays and lost luggage bring chaos to summer travel plans, Air Canada is advising travellers on how much time they should leave between connecting flights.
Two young emergency room doctors, raised and trained in Montreal, are leaving their jobs after only two years to move back to Toronto – and they say the Quebec health-care model and Bill 96 are to blame.
At least three sleepaway camps in Quebec have temporarily shut down because of COVID-19 outbreaks, according to the province's camps association (ACQ).
Two Montreal politicians and an activist group are calling on the Trudeau government to take responsibility for preserving a vast natural area leased and managed for many years by Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) amid controversy over a recently mowed field.
It has been a year and a half since a 33-year-old man disappeared in Winnipeg. Police now believe he was a victim of foul play and say someone out there knows something.
New sub-variants of COVID-19 are in Manitoba, with scientists watching trends warning the mutated version of the Omicron variant called BA.5 is highly transmissible.
Environment Canada has issued a tornado warning for the R.M. of Kindersley including Kindersley Brock and Flaxcombe, and the R.M. of Oakdale including Coleville.
Benjamin Dufour, the seven-year-old boy who was gravely injured after being hit by a truck in Regina last month, has shown positive signs of recovery, according to a news release from his family.
The London Children’s Museum is a step closer to building a new state-of-the-art facility on Kellogg Lane. It’s one of ten community projects in London to receive $3.7 million in federal funding, announced Tuesday.
Since 1996, Carla Alexiuk has been increasing the quilting population in northern Ontario by providing workshops, knowledge and her passion for the hobby.
As police try to track down the man believed to have paved a Puslinch woman’s driveway without her permission, another person has come forward claiming to be the victim of a similar alleged fraud.
A string of serious collisions over the last few days has Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) sending a heightened warning to drivers to not let their guards down during the summer months.
There were no ambulances available to respond to emergencies in Guelph for a short period on Monday, as paramedics waited outside the hospital to offload patients.
