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No Harmful Effects Expected From Chemical Fire

July 19, 2000

Those who were forced to leave their homes after an\r\nexplosion at a chemical plant in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, were told that the fire would have no long-term effects.

EHS Today Staff

More than 5,000 people were forced to leave their homes after an explosion at a chemical plant in Montreal, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec.

The residents were told Monday that the fire would have no long-term effects

Residents complained of burning eyes and itchy skin after fire sent a thick blanket of smoke billowing from the Regent Chemical Products plant, west of Montreal, on Sunday night.

"These are very short-term effects and they do not pose real danger for these people," said Dr. Louis Jacques, a public heath official. "People can come back home with confidence."

Jacques said "there''s no way" local drinking water is contaminated. Environment Quebec said there would be no serious ecological damage.

The blaze, which was visible from several kilometers away, erupted at the acid-transformation plant believed to contain up to 50,000 liters of toxic materials, including sulfuric, nitric and hydrochloric acid.

Provincial police were investigating but the cause of the fire wasn''t yet known.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.