Fredericton, N.B. - Authorities have closed portions of roads around Fredericton, including Vanier Industrial Drive and the Vanier Highway interchange at Alison Boulevard, following a chemical spill that left some roadways a distinct bright yellow. The New Brunswick government issued a warning late Friday evening regarding potential vehicle exposure. The substance involved has been identified as hexavalent chromium, though officials maintain the immediate health risk is low, even with brief contact.
Cleanup operations necessitated the closure of roads beginning Friday afternoon. Affected areas include Wilsey Road and the Vanier Highway interchange. Drivers who traveled eastbound or westbound on the Vanier Highway (Highway 7) between Fredericton and Oromocto, or on Vanier Industrial Drive, between Thursday, March 5, and Friday, March 6, at 4 p.m., have been cautioned.
The government's public health advisory urged individuals to avoid touching any visible residue on their vehicles. Recommendations include keeping children and pets away from affected areas, washing hands thoroughly for 15 minutes after any contact with residue, and refraining from touching eyes, nose, or mouth until hands are clean.
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A decontamination site and car wash were established starting Saturday to address affected vehicles. As of Sunday, March 9, the car wash entrance was accessible via Wilsey Road and Exit 5 of the Vanier Highway. Officials stated the car wash is being conducted "out of an abundance of caution." While the risk of cancer from brief exposure to hexavalent chromium is not considered increased, this cautious approach highlights lingering questions about the initial response and the speed at which information was disseminated.
The province received preliminary lab results identifying the chemical on Friday at noon. Despite assurances of a low health risk, the timeline of the spill's identification and the subsequent cleanup response remains under scrutiny. The province has confirmed that 775 vehicles had gone through the decontamination wash as of an unspecified point during the cleanup operations.
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The spill was first noticed by a driver, Linda Garwood, around 9:30 a.m. on March 5, while she was en route to work. The initial release of details regarding the spill was reportedly minimal, leading to a degree of uncertainty surrounding the incident.
