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
BREAKING Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
How to overcome 'savings guilt' when you're living paycheque to paycheque
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.