Gas leak prompts shutdown at Port of Prince Rupert's Ridley Island
AltaGas propane export facility says no risk to surrounding communities
The Port of Prince Rupert has confirmed a "propane release event" at its Ridley Island export terminal prompted a shutdown of operations this morning.
"I can confirm that earlier this morning all terminal operations were suspended on Ridley Island while a propane release event was being investigated and addressed," the port's corporate communications manager, James Cain, said in an email.
"Since then, the situation has stabilized, access to Ridley Island is underway, and terminal operations are in the process of resuming."
No injuries have been reported.
Ridley Island is home to the AltaGas propane export facility, which the company says is the first of its kind in Canada, processing an average of 112 rail cars of propane a day, and capable of storing 1.2 million tonnes of the gas annually.
Photos posted to social media show what appears to be a white fog surrounding the facility, with some commenters expressing concern about their safety.
The nearby District of Port Edward put out a statement on its Facebook page saying that "the leak is under control, and there is no risk to Port Edward at this time."
AltaGas says the images depict a vapour cloud above the facility, as an "unintended release of propane" took place at 6:20 a.m. PT, which was contained at 8:47 a.m.
"Our priority remains focused on the safety of people, communities and the environment. We are continuing to monitor air quality and have not seen any levels of concern," the statement says.
"Winds in the area are further helping dissipate the vapour cloud, and we do not expect further emergency response or evacuation."
According to Natural Resources Canada, propane is highly combustible, but it requires higher concentrations and higher temperatures than gasoline to combust, making it relatively safe. It can also be a suffocation risk in enclosed spaces.