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Kingston seeks improved truck safety in severe weather
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BY BILL HUTCHINS
NEWS — Kingston politicians are calling on the provincial government to implement new safety measures to keep truckers from hauling hazardous cargo in bad weather. Councillors approved a motion at their April 4 meeting, by a vote of 10-1, calling on government officials to help avoid a repeat of last month’s fatal multi-vehicle crash and toxic chemical spill on Highway 401, east of Gananoque. “On really nasty days no hazardous materials should be getting transported,” said Coun. Jim Neill, who introduced the safety motion. During a March 14 blizzard, about 30 vehicles, including several tractor trailers, were involved in the massive highway pileup. A 45-year-old transport driver from Hamilton was killed and his truck spilled the highly corrosive fluorosilicic acid onto the highway. The spill prompted an area evacuation and a code orange alert at Kingston General Hospital. Dozens of people, including first responders, were treated in hospital for possible exposure to the toxic chemical. The 401 was also closed for over a day during the cleanup. Neill says even though the highway and the transport of hazardous materials are regulated by upper levels of government, it’s the local emergency officials such as fire fighters, police and paramedics who are on the front lines of response. The City of Kingston marked the Vimy Ridge centennial with a parade and cere“The first responders that attend to these kind of accidents mony on Sunday, April 9. The large military parade went from City Hall to the First are, in fact, municipal employees. It’s our employees in harm’s World War memorial at Kingston’s City Park and included 1 Engineer Support Unit, way.” Coun. Liz Schell says the chemical spill was a chilling experiReal Property Operations Detachment, Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics, Canadian Forces Joint Signal Regiment, 21 Electronic Ware- ence. “When I learned what spilled, I really was quite terrified.” Coun. Peter Stroud, an emergency room nurse at Kingston fare Unit, Princess of Wales Own Regiment, HMCS Cataraqui, Cadets, Kingston General Hospital, says the code orange alert in Kingston was Police, RCMP and the Band of the Governor Generals Horse Guards. Many Kingstothe first he could remember involving multiple casualties. “It nians attended City Park to mark the occasion. did impact the hospital. In the middle of a blizzard, it seems to The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the first time the four divisions of the Canadian Corps many people to be preventable.”
Remembering Vimy Ridge
fought side by side. The parade and ceremony honoured the sacrifice of 3,598 Canadians who were killed and 7,000 who were wounded during the three day battle.
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