North Bay monitoring creek after transport fire involving pool chemicals

Transport chemical fire in North Bay causes alarm North Bay residents describe waking up to explosions from a fire involving a transport carrying hazardous chemicals. Jaime McKee reports.

The City of North Bay is monitoring chlorine levels in Chippewa Creek after fire run-off water from the transport fire entered storm sewers.

The transport truck involved in an early morning fire Wednesday on Algonquin Avenue was carrying a mix of swimming pool supplies, the Ontario Ministry of Environment told CTV News in an email.

North Bay fire department contacted the ministry's spills action centre Wednesday morning, a spokesperson said.

The chemicals involved include calcium hypochlorite, algaecides, fungicides and aerosol paints.

"An unknown amount of fire run-off water from the scene entered the storm sewers on Algonquin Avenue, which discharge to Chippewa Creek. The City of North Bay added de-chlorination pucks to the storm sewers and are monitoring chlorine levels in Chippewa Creek," the ministry said.

"The ministry collected water and fish samples from the creek. The samples were sent to the ministry’s laboratory for analysis. We do not have the results yet."

Staff from the ministry "will continue to monitor the cleanup efforts and ensure appropriate actions are taken to mitigate environmental impacts."

Algonquin was closed for nearly 24 hours, reopening around 2 a.m. Thursday.