Hazmat responds to fire call
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Updated: November 04, 2009 12:17 PM
The potential release of toxic materials had the Kelowna Fire Department’s hazardous waste management team out to the industrial area Nov. 3.
Kelowna assistant fire chief Jason Brolund said the fire department dispatcher received a call at close to 12:45 p.m. from a chemist at Future Harvest Development, a hydroponic equipment supplier at 725 Evans Ct.
Brolund said the chemist was concerned about potential off-gassing from a chemical process. He noted that the Hazmat team believed a small amount of gas was dispersed into the atmosphere.
Brolund later noted in a release that the gas was determined to be nitrogen dioxide, which is highly toxic.
“It was determined that due to the small amount of material involved and the length of time that had passed since the reaction, that there was no immediate threat present.”
While the Hazmat team is called out approximately 10 to 12 times a year, Brolund said this occasion was the result of an overabundance of caution. “The way we typically operate is we always assume the worst.”
Brolund noted that if a business has a chemist on staff, there is generally less concern. “Usually people who are involved in chemical processes have an idea what they’re doing.”
msimmons@kelownacapnews.com
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