Chemical spill reported at St. Catharines work site; 22 workers transported to hospital

A hydrochloric acid spill Tuesday morning sent 22 workers from a St. Catharines industrial plant to hospital, including several who were directly exposed to the chemical.

St. Catharines fire Chief Dave Upper said emergency crews responded to THK Rhythm Automotive Canada Ltd. on Louth Street at about 9 a.m., where five litres of the acid spilled and quickly vapourized.

Upper said the incident occurred when a contractor working at the factory accidentally hit a release valve," dumping hydrochloric acid from a vat of the chemical within the plant.

They closed it immediately but there was a five-litre spill of hydrochloric acid," Upper said.

In an abundance of caution, there were about 20 staff members that we decided should be decontaminated," he said.

Upper said emergency crews used a decontamination facility at THK, and then transferred the workers to St. Catharines hospital to be assessed.

Niagara Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Bryce Brunarski said three individuals were directly exposed" to the acid.

They were decontaminated by facility staff with support from our CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive) paramedics and St. Catharines Fire," he said, adding they were transported to hospital as Canadian Triage Acuity Scale (CTAS) 2 patients, requiring rapid medical intervention.

Those three workers were in direct contact with the acid in both the liquid and vapour forms, Upper said.

Brunarksi said nine other patients were transported to hospital by paramedics, after minor exposure" to the acid.

Ten others were transported to hospital aboard a city bus, as a precaution. He said those patients were asymptomatic, low acuity and stable people, with limited exposure" to the spill.

Upper said a city bus was used rather than ambulance, because of the number of workers involved as well as the non-urgent status of most of them.

With the number of people that were involved, we thought it was easier than to tie up (ambulance) resources in a transfer capacity," he said.

The incident evoked an emergency response from Niagara Health, where a Code Orange was called - putting emergency department staff on alert to prepare for numerous incoming patients due to a community incident.

The hospital system also issued a public service announcement, saying it is working with emergency responders to ensure the best possible care for anyone affected."

We are asking the community to please avoid the emergency department at the St. Catharines site and only visit if you have a life-threatening or critical emergency," the statement said, while advising residents to instead visit the Niagara Falls or Welland emergency department, or urgent care centres in Fort Erie and Port Colborne.

Upper said the spill was fully contained within the building, and posed no risk to the community.

Both the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Environment were contacted and investigating.

This story remains under development

Allan Benner is a St. Catharines-based reporter with the Standard. Reach him via email: allan.benner@niagaradailies.com