The evacuation in downtown Ucluelet has been lifted after hundreds of people were forced from the area due to an ammonia leak at a harbour-front fish plant.
Ucluelet’s harbour was closed to ships and the area around Main Street, including the town’s district office, Whiskey Dock and Ucluelet Aquarium was evacuated after an ammonia leak was discovered in a tank at Ucluelet Harbour Seafoods on Cedar Street around 11 a.m. today.
People in businesses and homes below Peninsula Road were asked to move to higher ground as Ucluelet RCMP and firefighters worked to find and contain the leak. Mounties and the coast guard auxiliary were on the water advising kayakers and boaters not to come into the harbour.
Ucluelet RCMP detachment commander Sgt. Jeff Swann said hazardous materials experts with Environment Canada initially recommended evacuating anyone within 350 feet but Swann said he and the fire chief decided to expand the evacuation zone as a precaution.
Ucluelet's environmental and emergency services manager, Karla Robison, said ammonia is combustible so there was a risk of an explosion.
Cathy Whitcomb, general manager of Whisky Landing Lodge, which overlooks the harbour, said staff knocked on doors to alert guests about the evacuation.
Whitcomb said there was no panic, people just walked up the hill and waited in the sun until things were under control.
“It was really calm and organized and people were in good spirits,” she said.
Crystal Wright, owner of Neptune Packers Ltd. on Eber Road, said she was told to send her crew home as a precaution.
“The harbourmaster urged me to send my crew home and bring my little two-year-old son inside,” Wright said. She said she could smell strong whiffs of ammonia, which concerned her.
“I’m very concerned,” Wright said in the midst of the evacuation. “If anything could happen there could be a massive explosion that could take out the whole town.”
The leak was contained and the evacuation was lifted around 1 p.m.
The fire department used large fans to ventilate the fish plant, Swann said, and the plant manager is looking into what caused the leak.
