Vancouver chemical fire under control

VANCIOUVER , British Columbia, March 5 (UPI) -- A four-alarm fire struck the Port of Vancouver's container terminal, shutting down parts of the city and compelling residents to stay indoors.

A toxic cloud caused by burning trichloroisocyanuric acid, a hazardous compound used in disinfectants, hung over the Canadian port Wednesday afternoon, as fire fighters battled heavy smoke from the Centerm container terminal. An 800-meter (2,600 feet) evacuation zone was prepared.

Vancouver fire Chief Dan Wood said the chemical is an oxidizer, which means it produces oxygen and adds to a fire. Although the fire was confined to a single shipping container, the smoke, and potential for release of toxic substances in the air, forced the shutdown of much of the port as well an advisory for those living east of the the area to stay indoors with their windows closed.

"In this situation it (the container)was either contaminated or disrupted, so it heated up and caught fire," Wood said.

The fire was declared under control Wednesday evening, but not before a foul-smelling odor permeated the area.

"I drove right through the cloud and it smelled horrible. It was one of the worst smells I ever smelled. It's almost like a sulphuric smell, something chemical. My eyes were watering and it definitely irritated my chest and my lungs," Michael Bowcott, who works in the area, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.