Dear Editor:
Re: Chlorine leak at North Van Plant Sends 2 to Hospital, Nov. 18 front-page story.
I was walking to work at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning (Nov. 16) hearing what sounded like a train horn blasting at regular intervals. At the Brooksbank Avenue and Calverhall Street intersection, where I could view the entire Lower Lynn area, was when it became apparent that something serious was wrong.
Emergency vehicles were rushing from many directions and this horn was still sounding at a constant rhythm. My first thought was that it was a railway situation, but having lived in North Vancouver all my life I was very aware of the chlorine chemical plant in lower North Vancouver.
It was a clear morning and I stopped and watched for any sign of a poisonous cloud that I had heard about years before, still unclear as to what emergency was being responded to. I waited five minutes watching the area, traffic streaming in both directions on the Ironworks Memorial Second Narrows Crossing, thinking of all my neighbours sleeping or just awakening to start their day and whether I should continue walking down to my place of work in the Lower Lynn area.
I did continue on to work and tried to find information about what had happened, but did not hear about anything until reading the front page of Friday’s North Shore News.
I am a tradesman in the industrial field and am very aware of the safety protocol at this particular chlorine plant, and it is excellent. My concern is that accidents do happen and with a facility such as this, a much better emergency notification system should be in place.
A train horn is not the appropriate answer. A specific, different alarm should be used for all neighbouring residents with regular awareness testing. Notifications on electronic billboards and at bridge crossings should be in place. The local municipal leaders need to review all of this before the big earthquake and (in light of) our growing density.
Kevin Hoy
North Vancouver
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