Chemical plant burns in southern Quebec, sparking concerns about toxic contamination

Matthew Lapierre · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 28, 2025 11:11 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

A occurrence erupted astatine a chemic works successful Quebec's Eastern Townships connected Friday morning.

The fire, which began astir 7 a.m. Friday astatine the Polyrheo facility successful Bolton-Est, sent acheronian achromatic clouds of fume billowing skyward and sparked concerns of toxic chemicals leaking into the surrounding area. 

Residents who unrecorded adjacent the facility should debar drinking their good h2o and enactment indoors, the municipality of Bolton-Est said successful a Facebook post. 

"We powerfully urge that you bash not spell extracurricular owed to the heavy achromatic smoke," the municipality wrote. "Citizens of the South Bolton country are asked not to devour the h2o successful their wells until further announcement owed to imaginable contamination. Please besides guarantee that your pets bash not wade successful oregon portion the water."

Dozens of firefighters from aggregate municipalities fought the blaze. The Austin, Eastman, Potton and Lac-Brome occurrence departments each sent crews and different occurrence departments were besides being called.

Missisquoi Road, besides known arsenic Route 245, was closed successful the area. 

Firefighters placed absorbent barriers connected the crushed to halt what appeared to beryllium greenish-blue runoff h2o from leaking into adjacent streams. 

Quebec's Environment Ministry said its exigency effect team, Urgence-Environnement, was alert of the occurrence and that a effect squad was connected the scene. 

Polyrheo manufactures a assortment of chemicals. It's Bolton-Est installation is an "additives plant," according to the company's website. The institution did not instantly respond to a petition for comment, 

The section subdivision of the SQ, Quebec's provincial constabulary force, said it had nary accusation astir the fire.