By Canadian Press

B.C. ‘ammonia’ leak spurs evacuations, road closure, turns out to be carbon dioxide

Dec 24, 2024 | 12:23 PM

PORT MOODY, B.C. — Police in Port Moody, B.C., say a gas leak from a truck that shut down a major road and triggered evacuations is believed to involve carbon dioxide, and not toxic ammonia as first suspected.

A statement from officers in the Metro Vancouver municipality says first responders were called to Clarke Road near St Johns Street, for a report of a flipped commercial vehicle around 10:40 a.m. on Tuesday.

Police initially thought the truck was leaking ammonia, but Const. Sam Zacharias says it’s now believed to be carbon dioxide.

He says “multiple structures” remain evacuated around noon Tuesday, or their occupants told to shelter in place, and Clarke Road remains closed.

The federal government’s National Pollutant Inventory says breathing in ammonia can cause severe irritation of the nose and throat and may be fatal.

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Carbon dioxide is non-toxic except at extremely high levels.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 24, 2024.

The Canadian Press