Williams Lake Hit by School Fire and Chlorine Leak

By 250 News

The  town of Williams Lake has had its  emergency services pressed to the max today with two major incidents. 

It started this morning around 10:30 when  two  staff members working at the  new pump house detected a chlorine leak.  The  hazardous materials team was brought in,  the area evacuated, and the situtaion was brought under control.  Williams Lake Director of Development Services Geoff Goodall says some homes, industrial and commercial operations were evacuated as a precaution.  No one hurt,  and the system is back to normal.  "It was a 150 pound  container of chlorine that leaked" says Goodall, "Worksafe B.C.  has been on the scene and everything is o.k. now, but at this point we don’t know why the container started leaking". The pumphouse is,  at most , 5 years old says Goodall.

While crews were dealing with that emergency, a fire broke out at the Poplar Glade Elementary School in Williams Lake.

 Between 100 and 200 students were taken to a nearby school,  all of  the children and the staff are fine.

Goodall says while it isn’t known exactly what sparked the fire, the initial report suggested it was electrical in nature.  "We fear we have lost the whole school" says Goodall.  "Fire crews are in a defensive mode now, making sure it doesn’t spread to  homes in the neighbourhood."  He says  the wind  is high in the  area this afternoon and  the heavy smoke  that is being carried throughout the neighbourhood may  result in the evacuation of  neighbouring homes ."It would be just a precaution as the smoke is very  heavy" says Goodall. 

Fire departments from Williams Lake,  Wildwood and 150 Mile responded  to the blaze.  Goodall says the flames have  gone through the roof of the building and it is doubtful anything  can be saved.

School District #27 management will meet tomorrow morning to develop a plan  for the placement of the students.  It isn't possible to make classroom arrangements in time for tomorrow so  the Poplar Glade students will not be attending any classes Friday.    

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