A section of the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) in St. Catharines was fully closed Tuesday afternoon, after a transport truck carrying hazardous material rolled over the highway’s median.
Ontario Provincial Police reported the single-vehicle collision between Ontario Street and Highway 406 just after 3 p.m. All lanes were blocked, with Niagara Regional Police and fire crews also attending the scene.
“The collision involving a single transport truck hauling dangerous goods, some sort of toxic substance, has rolled over. It is partially over the center guard rail on both the eastbound and westbound lanes of the highway,” said OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt.
An update from OPP before 4 p.m. said there was an evacuation order in place for a 1.2-kilometre radius around the truck. The evacuation was expected to impact a small number of residences and a couple of businesses in the area.
The evacuation was upgraded to a 2-kilometre radius after 5 p.m. Before 7 p.m., an update from Niagara police Const. Phil Gavin said citizens within the 2 kilometre radius of the scene were being asked to “hold and shelter” within their residences.
“If an evacuation order is needed, a member of Niagara Regional Police will come to your residence and ask you to leave,” Gavin said.
OPP said the truck possibly had a mechanical issue which resulted in the rollover. The lone driver was not injured and no other vehicles were involved in the collision.
It was later determined the truck was carrying a substance called phosphine.
“It is an inhalation hazard, extremely flammable right now as well,” said Sgt. Schmidt.
Niagara police said the evacuation is precautionary and there is no immediate risk to the public. In their update around 7 p.m. Const. Gavin said police believe the chemical had been contained and was no longer an airborne issue.
Emergency response, clean up crews and dangerous goods crews responded to the scene.
OPP said there is no estimate on when the road will reopen.
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