OPP closes QEW in Beamsville after spill

The OPP closed a seven-kilometre stretch of the QEW Tuesday afternoon - in both directions - between Ontario Street in Beamsville and Victoria Avenue near Vineland Station following a dangerous goods spill" from a tanker truck carrying fuel.

The service roads in the area were also closed.

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said there was no collision or fire, but police and firefighters needed to secure a perimeter around the incident.

Traffic is really a mess everywhere in that area," Schmidt said. We are working as quickly and safely as possible to resolve this problem."

Schmidt also suggested that anyone on the QEW between Hamilton (and) St. Catharines find alternate routes.

There is equipment there right now working on transferring the cargo from the compromised trailer to a new one," Schmidt said on Twitter at about 5 p.m.

Just before 6 p.m. he tweeted that all lanes of the QEW and both service roads had reopened.

The Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of the Environment were called to the scene.

In a post to Twitter, the OPP's highway safety division said the dangerous goods are a Class 3 flammable liquid. Transport Canada's website said Class 3 flammable liquids include fuels such as gasoline, ethanol and fuel oil (diesel).

Lincoln Fire Rescue was also assisting, as were Niagara Regional Police.

Lincoln Fire Rescue on Twitter said there was no danger to nearby residents or businesses.

This story was updated at 6:30 p.m. to report all roads and the QEW has reopened.

Bill Sawchuk is a St. Catharines-based reporter with the Standard. Reach him via email: william.sawchuk@niagaradailies.com