On Tuesday, a shelter in place order along with a voluntary evacuation advisory remains active for certain residents of Summerside as firefighters work to manage a battery fire that ignited early Monday morning at the Sunbank solar farm in the city.
Due to “potential conditions” resulting from the fire, P.E.I.’s Public Schools Branch has also canceled all classes for the Three Oaks family of schools on Tuesday. Additionally, the city’s French-language institution, École-sur-Mer, is closed for the day.
The fire, which occurred in one of the extensive battery storage units at the solar farm, led to the issuance of a shelter in place order on Monday for residents in the vicinity “out of an abundance of caution due to concerns about smoke from the incident.”
Later that same afternoon, local authorities also communicated a voluntary evacuation notice for individuals residing within a 500-metre radius of the solar facility.
By 4 p.m. Tuesday, city officials reported no significant changes in conditions at the Sunbank.
According to a public advisory, “Response efforts are essentially a waiting game” as the fire continues to be monitored closely.
JP Desrosiers, the chief administrative officer for the city, informed CBC’s Island Morning on Tuesday that there is currently no estimate on how long it might take for the fire to extinguish itself.
“Battery fires … can be quite persistent. They don’t behave like typical structure fires in terms of a battery array,” he explained.
“At this moment, the crews are focused on containing the fire to allow it to burn out naturally while maintaining safety in the surrounding area.”
Fire crews are continuing to contain a battery fire at the Summerside Sunbank that started early morning Monday. The incident led to an shelter in place notice for some residents in the area, along with a voluntary evacuation notice. CBC’s Stacey Janzer reports.
Desrosiers noted that smoke levels had “exceeded acceptable limits” overnight but have since decreased.
Summerside’s deputy mayor, Cory Snow, stated that the shelter in place order will remain effective indefinitely.
“We will maintain it until we determine that it is safe for our residents to return to their normal activities,” he remarked.
Business closes due to health concerns
The Mission Thrift Store in Summerside closed on Tuesday after staff members who reported for work began experiencing health issues.
General manager Marg Schroder indicated that although staff did not notice any unusual smells or changes in air quality, some began to suffer from headaches, chest tightness, and nausea. The decision to close was made about an hour after the store opened at 9 a.m.
She added that she has since checked in with staff, who reported feeling better, but the plans for Wednesday remain uncertain.
“When I see that my staff are feeling unwell or potentially in danger, I don’t want to risk their health worsening,” Schroder explained.
“While there may be a loss in sales, our priority is the health and safety of everyone, so that was my main concern.”
Testing for air and water quality
City officials believe the fire at Sunbank began around 5:30 a.m. on Monday.
Shortly before 8 a.m., residents living along South Drive, from MacKenzie Drive to Bayview Drive, were instructed to stay indoors, close their doors and windows, and turn off ventilation systems that bring in outside air.
According to the city’s 4 p.m. update, air and water quality testing is actively being conducted and has been ongoing throughout the event.
“If anyone detects an unusual odor or the smell of burning electrical materials, we advise residents to keep their windows shut, and to turn off air circulation systems and heat pumps,” Desrosiers stated.
He mentioned that the solar farm area has its own storm-water management system, so most of the water used by firefighters to contain the fire is sourced from that system. Testing is still being performed downstream to check for any leaking contaminants.
A reception center remains available at the St. Eleanors Community Centre located at 1 West Dr. for residents seeking a safe place.
Residents can access continuous updates through the city’s social media channels.
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