Fire in St. John at Irving Pulp and Paper

There was a fire in Irving Pulp and Paper's sulphur tank yesterday in St. John, New Brunswick.

The Saint John Fire Department said there were concerns that a cloud of hydrogen sulfide might be released into the atmosphere, so the building containing the tank was evacuated and the city's Emergency Measures Organization was put on alert.

The fire was started by a contractor around 11am yesterday. While the fire was out early, the scene remained a hazardous material scene into the evening. Firefighters worked until the evening in breathing apparatus because gas readings on the top of the tank remained elevated. Insulation blankets were put in place on the top of the sulphur tank to seal it around 6pm, returning sulphur dioxide readings to normal levels.

Readings taken throughout the area showed the gas was not making its way into surrounding neighbourhoods and was not a threat to people nearby.

Source:

Fire at pulp mill presents challenge (Telegraph-Journal)