The substance found in a stolen truck that sent several people to hospital remains a mystery.
Red Deer Emergency Services was called by RCMP on Wednesday after the recovered flatbed one-ton stolen truck was brought back by its owner to his business in a north Red Deer commercial area.
It appears that when an attempt was made to clean up a sticky yellow substance with water a reaction occurred that created a colourless, odourless gas. The man was suffering from some sort of chemical reaction that created a burning sensation.
The Hazardous Materials Response Unit was sent and 49th Avenue, between 78th and 78A Street, was cordoned off. Employees at two nearby buildings were evacuated while fire-medics investigated.
The owner took the man to hospital but then he too started to feel ill and went to hospital with two other employees who were feeling the effects.
Red Deer Emergency Services Platoon Chief Gord Klootwyk said they still don’t know what the substance was.
The vehicle was sealed and the insurance company took it to their yard in Calgary.
“They were going to decide what to do with it and if it was going to be viable to decontaminate the vehicle to decide what to do with it,” he said.
Klootwyk said they opted not to send someone into the vehicle to further investigate. The chemical was contained so there was no risk if the truck was left as is.
“It wasn’t worth putting somebody in jeopardy to go searching in the truck, looking under the seats and looking for the chemical.”