All Hands On for Ammonia Leak

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LANGFORD -- Just before 8:00am Wednesday staff at Westhills Arena noticed an ammonia leak coming from inside the building.

"There was some maintenance being done in the building and they were trying to let of the ammonia out when they turned the valve and some of it leaked out," says Jim Bowden, Langford's City Manager.

Emergency crews were contacted immediately. Once on the scene, crews began evacuating. Roads were blocked off and several people at nearby residences and businesses were asked to vacate the area.

This is the first incident of its kind for the newly opened arena. Bowden says arena staff aren't to blame for the leak: "I wouldn't say it's routine maintenance but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. They were just trying to release some ammonia out of the system".

Ammonia experts say public awareness is partly to thank for a swift response to the leak. "The public is more aware of the problems of ammonia, whereas an ammonia leak before someone would have just hoped for a good gust of wind," says David Rogers with BC Hazmat.

Around 11:00am roads re-opened and people were allowed back in the area. Access to the arena remained restricted until mid-afternoon when things returned to normal.


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