Investigators are still searching for a cause after a massive chemical fire at Naeja Pharmaceuticals in southeast Edmonton Tuesday. The blaze caused $7 million in damage.
Naeja Pharmaceuticals President and CEO Chris Micetich told CTV News a fire broke out over the lunch hour Tuesday in a refrigerator used to store chemicals. He says staff heard what sounded like a champagne bottle popping in the fridge.
"They opened up the fridge and they noticed there was a solvent that had spilled a little bit and while they were trying to determine what happened there was a spark and a flame broke out within the refrigerator."
Edmonton Fire Rescue received a 911 call after staff failed to contain the chemical. Sixty-five staff members working at the lab escaped safely.
An air quality advisory in southeast Edmonton was ordered following the explosion and blaze, with officials asking nearby residents to stay indoors -- keeping their furnaces and air conditioners off due to potentially toxic smoke.
"Any time you've got an industrial fire with chemicals involved, you want to be very cautious and air on the side of safety," said Fire Chief Ken Block.
Block insists keeping people indoors was the best option.
"Our response from my perspective was really good."
The advisory was lifted around 9:20 p.m. after the fire was brought under control. Air quality readings showed no one was in any real danger.
"While there were elevated levels of particulate, we never had any readings that would have put anyone in jeopardy," said Block.
Residents living nearby are glad officials made the call to keep them inside for a few hours.
"With every 15 minutes coming by, you knew there was something going on, so I felt safe inside the house," said Leonard Hamaluk.
No injuries were reported in the fire.
With files from Bill Fortier
