GUELPH – A truck driver and his employer are facing charges following a major hazardous material spill that shut down a section of the Hanlon Expressway in Guelph for more than 10 hours.
Guelph Police say the incident happened Tuesday afternoon, around 2:30, when an officer spotted a liquid substance covering part of the southbound lanes, stretching from College Avenue West to Downey Road.
Police say the officer located a tanker truck stopped on the shoulder near Downey Road, surrounded by a large pool of liquid. “The product was identified as styrene resin, a highly flammable hazardous material,” police said in a news release.
Supplied photo: Guelph Police
The Guelph Fire Department, Ontario Provincial Police, Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of the Environment were notified.
“The investigation determined that approximately 4.5 kilometres of roadway had been contaminated after styrene resin solution leaked from the tanker due to an improperly secured hatch,” police said.
Due to the significant fire risk, police say all southbound lanes were closed between Speedvale Avenue West and Downey Road while emergency crews and specialized teams worked to contain the spill and clean up the roadway.
“As an additional precaution, children participating in activities at the nearby YMCA were moved indoors due to concerns regarding fumes and the potential risk of ignition in the area.”
The cleanup involved multiple agencies, including Guelph Police, Guelph Fire, the OPP, Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of the Environment officials, along with city staff and highway maintenance crews.
The highway remained closed until approximately 12:45 Wednesday morning.
As a result of the investigation, police say a 30-year-old man from Brampton has been charged with failing to conduct an inspection of a commercial motor vehicle and transporting an insecure load.
A Calgary-based company is also facing charges related to failing to comply with safety standards and failing to ensure that required performance standards were met.
