23 people taken to hospital after workplace exposure to hydrochloric acid in St. Catharines discharged
A total of 23 people taken to hospital in St. Catharines following a hazardous workplace incident on Tuesday have been discharged.
According to Niagara Health, the incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. at the THK Rhythm Automotive Plant in the Louth Street and Ridley Road area.
St. Catharines Fire Chief Dave Upper told CTV News Toronto a contractor was working and accidentally hit a valve, which released five litres of hydrochloric acid.
Upper said the acid turned to vapour and three people were nearby. They managed to close the valve, but they were exposed to the fumes, he said.
Hydrochloric acid boasts a number of uses, including refining ore in tin and tantalum production, electroplating, and pickling and cleaning metal products, to name a few.
Officials on the scene said about 20 other people were exposed, and decontamination showers were used. Most of them were taken to the hospital by bus.
Upper said the exposure to the acid was more minor, and the other 20 people were taken to the hospital as a precaution.
"The chemical typically provides burns to respiratory and skin if you are exposed heavily," he said. "We don't believe they had that heavy saturation."
EMS Operations Sgt. Bryce Brunarski confirmed paramedics brought nine people to the hospital with minor exposure, while another 10 asymptomatic individuals with limited exposure to the leak went to the hospital by bus.
At 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Niagara Health confirmed its St. Catharines Site’s Emergency Department has been brought back to its normal operations, and has started to wind down from the response to the hazardous materials incident.
The health agency confirmed all patients were assessed, and are all expected to be discharged at some point today.
- With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks beat Oilers 5-4 in comeback to take Game 1
The Vancouver Canucks won the first game of their NHL playoffs series with the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 on Wednesday night coming back from a three-goal deficit.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.