Chemical spill closes Charlottetown street

A hydrochloric acid spill forced the closure of Garfield Street in Charlottetown Monday.

Firefighters and the provincial Hazmat team were on the scene for several hours responding to the spill at Atlantic Warehousing.

Fire Chief Randy MacDonald said the fire department responded to a call around 10 a.m. about the spill.

There were no injuries and there was no risk to any of the neighbouring buildings, MacDonald said.

“We made sure that we were within the proper guidelines.”

Members of the Hazmat team wearing full-body suits and carrying oxygen tanks could be seen from a barricade blocking the road early Monday afternoon.

A decontamination unit was set up in the middle of the street for the Hazmat team with a small pile of dirt at one end to neutralize any acid that washed off members.

MacDonald said when firefighters arrived at the scene there was a noticeable odor, and a truck driver told them there was possibly a chemical spill.

Once everyone pushed was back to a safe distance the department called in the Hazmat team, MacDonald said.