MONTREAL — Olymel has temporarily closed a Quebec pork processing plant after an ammonia leak Monday evening that sent nine workers to hospital. The employees have since returned home.
Emergency services with specialized equipment worked overnight to stop the leak and remove the gas that forced 350 workers from the plant in Vallee-Jonction, south of Quebec City. Authorities are investigating to determine the cause of the leak before operations resume. Olymel said it was co-operating with officials and will inform the plant’s 1,000 employees when operations can resume.
Ammonia gas is used to help quickly freeze meat.
Olymel, which slaughters, processes and distributes pork and poultry, also has a plant in Red Deer, as well as others in Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick.