Acid spill at Ontario car parts plant sends 23 to hospital

Article content

A hydrochloric acid spill at an auto plant in St. Catharines sent 23 people to a Niagara Region hospital Tuesday, including three who were directly exposed, according to the Canadian Press. First responders were called to the scene after contractors were exposed to the acid in the air following a concentrated leak.

Article content

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Acid spill at Ontario car parts plant sends 23 to hospital Back to video

“Staff on scene accidentally bumped a valve, which released approximately five litres of hydrochloric acid,” Dave Upper, fire chief of St. Catharines Fire Services, said in a phone interview. “Once they realized the valve was open and the spill occurred, they immediately closed it.”

Article content

The spill occurred at the THK Rhythm Automotive plant in St. Catharines, Ontario. The plant makes various linkage and suspension products, including control arms, ball joints, and tie-rod ends. Toyota is among the automakers it supplies.

Three people were directly exposed through inhalation and skin contact, and the liquid quickly turned into vapour, causing health issues for 20 other people. Emergency crews used decontamination showers on site to wash affected staff before taking them to the hospital for further evaluation.

According to EMS Operations Supt. Bryce Brunarski, nine of the patients who were sent to the hospital had only modest exposure to the vapour cloud. Likewise, another 10 patients were taken as a precaution despite showing no symptoms and having only slight contact with the leak.

The Canadian Transport Emergency Centre advised that exposed people be watched over for 48 hours, Brunarski said.

The auto plant has yet to comment on the situation.