Firefighters were still on the scene Tuesday morning putting out hot spots after a fire burned millions of litres of liquid asphalt in the RM of Springfield Monday.
Thick, toxic smoke spewed from the fire and firefighters were exposed to a number of carcinogens, said Alex Forrest, President of the United Firefighters of Winnipeg.
“I talked to a number of the members that were there and they said it was one of the worst fires that they had fought,” Forrest told 680CJOB Tuesday morning.
“What we’re dealing with now today is the incredible toxic exposure that these firefighters had,” he added.
“There’s solvents, different chemicals such as benzine, … firefighters injest these chemicals, absorb these chemicals and they also breathe these chemicals when they go on a scene like this.”
The blaze began around 10 a.m. at Pounder Emulsions at 2800 Day Street but crews had the fire out by the afternoon.
The fire forced the evacuation of some nearby businesses as well as one school in the area. The evacuation order was lifted in the evening.
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There were no injuries and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation. About four million litres of bitumen burned.
Forrest said about 100 Winnipeg firefighters were on scene to help the RM of Springfield put out the blaze, calling it a “great team effort.”
A spokesperson for the province said that suppression efforts were still ongoing, however, chemical runoff has been contained to the site.
“The province had air monitors downwind of the fire checking for hydrogen sulfide, volatile organic compounds (which includes chemicals like benzene, dioxane, toluene and saturated aromatic hydrocarbons), carbon monoxide and lower explosive limit.”
The spokesperson said no elevated levels were detected and area residents should not be worried about chemical contamination.
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