Two people were taken to hospital after being exposed to an unknown substance at Canada Post’s sorting facility in Richmond.
Just after 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Richmond Fire-Rescue responded to a call from the facility on Sea Island, next to Vancouver International Airport.
According to fire-rescue, a package was discovered broken and a powder had spilled out, causing the pair of workers to have breathing problems and elevated heart rates.
They were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure, according to a statement from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
A further 12 people were being observed at the scene, but none were showing symptoms. A partial evacuation of the building was undertaken.
The substance in question was determined to not be a bio hazard, nor a narcotic.
Six fire vehicles and 21 firefighters were on scene, including a full hazardous materials deployment.
Two CBSA officers found the package “during the normal course of their duties,” according to a Canada Border Services a CBSA spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Although Richmond RCMP and B.C. Ambulance also responded, CBSA took the lead on the incident as the spill was in the international area of the Canada Post facility.
