Ammonia leak at Killarney Community Centre prompts evacuations; 13 hospitalized
Posted June 2, 2022 3:55 pm.
Last Updated June 2, 2022 6:56 pm.
An ammonia leak at Killarney Community Centre in East Vancouver on Thursday prompted the evacuation of the building and the adjacent high school.
“Our fire crews attended … for an ammonia release that vented,” confirmed Matt Trudeau, public information officer with Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services.
He says 13 people who were outside and downwind of the leak had minor symptoms were taken to the hospital as a precaution.
“It sounded like minor irritation to the eyes. Redness in their eyes and some irritation,” said Trudeau said of their symptoms.
The leak happened at the community centre’s arena.
The Vancouver Park Board says staff at the community centre were made aware of the leak around 2:15 p.m. and it predicts the community centre will fully reopen at 5 p.m. Thursday.
Killarney Secondary School was evacuated, and Trudeau says no ammonia got into the school.
A park adjacent to the incident has been closed off, according to the Park Board.
“Safety is our primary focus at this time. Next steps we will be to work with Technical Safety BC to conduct a full investigation into what occurred,” an email statement from the board reads.
With files from Martin MacMahon and Kurtis Doering
