Squamish warning lifted

Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

UPDATE 10 a.m.

Crews were battling a fire at the Squamish Terminals deep-water port on Friday, but an earlier warning to residents to stay indoors was no longer in effect.

The District of Squamish said it was lifting the alert Friday morning, but said it might need to be reinstated if air quality deteriorated.

The district said schools were open, but students would be kept indoors all day as provincial officials monitored air quality and crews fought the blaze.

The fire was reported to be 90 per cent contained by early Friday.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services said its boat will be used to extinguish fire under the dock after the high tide recedes.

Kim Stegeman of Squamish Terminals said the blaze broke out early Thursday evening at the facility at the north end of Howe Sound and about an hour's drive from Vancouver. There were no reported injuries.

"There was a ship at the dock, but it did not catch fire," she said. "It is safe and away from danger.

"Everyone who was working on site was accounted for and evacuated."

Stegeman said she doesn't know how the blaze started.

It emitted what Squamish Mayor Patricia Heintzman said was dark, strong, pungent and toxic-smelling smoke that prompted the warning to residents to stay indoors.

Residents had been asked to keep doors and windows closed, turn off ventilation systems if possible and cover their noses and mouths with a wet towel if venturing outdoors.

A spokeswoman for B.C. Emergency Health Services said four ambulance crews, a helicopter and a critical-care team had been on standby, but no one was transported.

Crews continue to battle a fire at the Squamish Terminals deep-water port in B.C., but a warning that called on residents to stay indoors has been lifted for now.

The District of Squamish announced it was lifting the alert at about 7 a.m., but says air quality could change throughout the day and the warning might need to be reinstated.

The district says schools in the area will be open Friday but students will be kept indoors all day, as provincial officials continue to monitor air quality and crews fight the blaze.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says its boat will be used to extinguish an area underneath the dock once the morning's high tide recedes.

Kim Stegeman of Squamish Terminals said the blaze broke out just after 6 p.m. Thursday at the facility at the north end of Howe Sound and about an hour's drive from Vancouver and there were no reported injuries.

The fire emitted what Squamish Mayor Patricia Heintzman said was dark, strong, pungent and toxic smelling smoke that prompted a warning to residents to stay indoors.

Under the shelter-in-place warning that had been in place, residents were being asked to keep doors and windows closed, turn off ventilation systems if possible and to cover their noses and mouths with a wet towel if venturing outdoors.