UPDATE: RCMP said the roads around the Gloucester Industrial Park were re-opened just before midnight.
The evacuation zone has been reduced, but a number of roads in a Langley industrial park remained closed on Thursday evening due to an ammonia leak.
The roads around the Gloucester Industrial Park were closed to traffic shortly after the leak at a pet food manufacturer was discovered on Wednesday morning.
About 150 workers were evacuated but no one appears to have been injured or impacted by the gas.
A malfunction in the refrigeration system at a frozen pet food manufacturer caused the leak, which has since been contained.
Officials say once technicians arrived on the scene Thursday morning, they learned that the controlled release of the ammonia was not going as quickly as hoped, so their initial plan to re-open roadways was delayed.
Officers are still turning away traffic as several roads remain closed. It is unclear when the roads will re-open.
The Township of Langley says temporary road closures are currently in effect for:
* 56 Avenue and 272 Street
* 275 Street and Gloucester Way
* 268 Street and Gloucester Way
* East of the 26800 block of Townshipline Road
The road closures have had an impact on local businesses.
“Yesterday, we only had three or four people come in. The rest were blocked off,” said Ikbal Bhinji, owner of Acritec, a manufacturer of bathtubs, on Thursday.
“Today we phoned everybody to say you can’t come in. It impacts people significantly, loss of wages. It’s a big issue.”
— With files from Amy Judd
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