issue 09 / volume 41

 

Angela Espinoza

F ” News Editor
‘ Mi news
; _ @theotherpress.ca

chemical fire occurred in
ort Metro Vancouver on

resulted in exposure warnings
throughout the day.

The fire involved containers : by hazard response teams,

which held trichloroisocyanuric : which Vancouver city manager
: Penny Ballem described ina

: press conference as, “A silent

: emergency, [with] no explosion,
: no shaking of the earth, but a

: risk to our public.

acid, which Global News
revealed is used as a water-
treating chemical, “often used
in swimming pools oraasa
bleaching agent for textiles.”
When the acid caught fire,
the combination resulted in
chlorine gas, which could be
seen as large puffs of white
smoke rose from the fire.

In an interview with
Global, Dave Rogers stated,
“lTrichloroisocyanuric acid]
is toxic by ingestion, it will
kill if you drink it. But all are
moderate, which means it’s
going to bea low amount of

exposed to.”

While the gas released was

: not deemed deadly, residents

: of Vancouver were requested

: to stay indoors for several

: hours after the fire took place.

: Professor and air pollution

: specialist at UBC Karen Bartlett
: told Global that chlorine gas is
the afternoon of March 4, which : “definitely a respiratory irritant,
: it’s also an eye irritant.”

The fire was dealt with

“I would say it was a good,

: solid response.”

Metro reported that “up to

: 30 firefighters” fought to put

: out the fire and prevent it from
: spreading to other containers,

: “and up to 40 fire personnel

: were on site.”

The chemical fire, although

: dealt with, also caused CN Rail
: and various TransLink bus and
: SkyTrain routes to be halted

chemical that youre going to be : and re-routed while air was still :

: determined to be unsafe to the

Image from CKNW.com

Chemical explosion occurs
at Port Metro Vancouver

» Fire dealt with rapidly, no casualties

: public. Crowding was seen at

: SkyTrain stations such as the

: Lougheed Town Centre station,
: asa result of the re-routing.

Vice president of Port

: Metro Vancouver Peter Xotta

: told the Metro, “I can assure you
: that all protocols in place for

: handling containers with this

: substance were followed.”

“In a matter of minutes,

: we knew what we were dealing
: with”

Xotta also explained that

? numerous dangerous and

: potentially deadly chemicals

: come through the Port Metro
: Vancouver area every year as

: they are shipped to and from

: other countries, but that

: the proper protocols make

: emergencies such as chemical
: fires rare occurrences.

On March 5, CBC reported

: that at least 13 people were

: admitted to hospitals showing
: signs of “irritated respiratory

: tract symptoms,” but that all

: had since been helped and

: released.

The cause of the fire is still

> unknown.

 

E-cigarette restrictions
coming to BC

» Selling to those under 19 will be banned

Angela Espinoza

F News Editor
‘ Mi news
' _ @theotherpress.ca

he sale of e-cigarettes to

those under the age of 19 in
BC will now be banned.

The decision came from
Legislation on March 5, with
CBC reporting that changes
will be made to BC’s Tobacco

: Control Act to reflect e-cigarette :
: use and restrictions. :

Amongst other restrictions,

: advertising and displays

: promoting e-cigarettes in BC
: will now be limited, and their
: use banned in public spaces and :
: schools. :

Sale of e-cigarettes will also

: be restricted to tobacco shops
: and other locations in which
: tobacco is traditionally sold.

Ina public statement,

Health Minister Terry Lake

: said, “This legislation will limit
: the exposure to children of the
: possible dangers of e-cigarette

: vapour and the potential that

: e-cigarettes have to normalize

smoking behaviour.”
While no set date has been

: announced, changes are set
: to be made by “early spring,”
: according to several media
sources.

news // 5

What's up, Doug:
Career Fair,
DSU Campaigning

Angela Espinoza
News Editor

Mi news
@theotherpress.ca

ae )
OO: March 3 and 5, this semester’s Career Fairs took place
at the David Lam and New Westminster campuses.

The Career Fairs offered students the opportunity to
speak one-on-one with members of businesses from around
BC. Students dressed their best and dropped off resumés,
making use of networking experience in fields ranging from
social work to accounting to sales.

Both were free to the public, and served as helpful
experiences to students and those looking for work
opportunities.

Campaigning for this year’s Douglas Students’ Union
elections also took place at the New Westminster and David
Lam campuses throughout the last week. Students up for
election took part in meetings with Douglas students,
encouraged voting, and were involved in a candidates forum
on March 4 at the New West campus.

Voting takes place all of this week from March 9g to 13 at
both campuses.

 

 

nn

hope

WW STINTS ws ||

 

All Photos by Angela Espinoza