Burning chemical plant sparks concerns

A fire erupted at a Polyrheo chemical plant in Quebec's Eastern Townships on March 28. The fire at the Polyrheo facility in Bolton-Est, sent dark black clouds of smoke billowing skyward and sparked concerns of toxic chemicals leaking into the surrounding area.

Residents who live near the facility should avoid drinking their well water and stay indoors, the municipality of Bolton-Est said in a Facebook post. Pierre Desmarais, chief of the Austin fire department, said the fire became so intense that they decided to fight it "defensively." Firefighters stood outside the building, rather than entering, and sprayed it with water. They also used an excavator to pull down parts of the building to better fight the fire.

Polyrheo manufactures a variety of chemicals. It's Bolton-Est facility is an "additives plant," according to the company's website.