Noxious fumes fill hallways

Charges pending against contractor

Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 03/00) - Charges are pending against Yellowknife-based Silverado Painting Ltd. after Tuesday's evacuation of students from two Catholic schools.

All students and staff were evacuated from St. Patrick high school and Weledeh school at 10:45 a.m. Oct. 31 after noxious fumes swept though the schools' hallways.

Bernyl Deluxe 40 When sprayed on concrete, fumes are released that are heavier than air. Breathing high concentrations could cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and coma. N-Butel acetate, ethyl alcohol, cellulose nitrate, isopropanol and ethyl 3-ethoxpropionate are the active ingredients in the lacquer, none of which are classified as reportable toxic chemicals.

According to Yellowknife Catholic School superintendent Kern Von Hagen, Silverado Painting was not authorized to lacquer the gymnasium walls at St. Patrick high school on Monday night. The school did not activate their ventilation systems which allowed fumes to fill both schools.

Yellowknife Fire Chief Mick Beauchamp said the City's Municipal Enforcement Division is investigating Silverado's actions. Conviction on a charge under the Emergency Response and Protection Services bylaw carries a maximum fine of $10,000 for corporations.

Silverado owner Herb Villebrun said he's not at fault. He said he informed project manager Dave Bonnell from Clark Builders -- the general contractor for the project -- and Catholic School maintenance manager Alan Woytuik of his intention to paint on Monday night. Both Bonnell and Woytuik deny that they were informed of any such work to be carried out by Villebrun.

"On Monday afternoon I told (Bonnell) and (Woytuik) that I would be painting that evening," said Villebrun.

Bonnell said he had no indication Silverado was going to be painting that night.

"It's not true," said Bonnell. "He didn't tell us."

Woytuik admitted there was a breakdown in communications over schedules but said there was no mention of planned work that Monday night.

"We communicated as to when the work was supposed to be done. He asked for a schedule on community use of the gym, but he didn't actually tell me he was spraying... He never communicated how much fumes would be emitted or about turning on ventilation," Woytuik said.

The material used, Bernyl Deluxe 40, is a spray-on lacquer which according to Ken Quanez, president of Bellare, a Calgary-based hardware distributor, is safe.

"It's pretty safe stuff as far as lacquer goes," said Quanez.

Even so, Villebrun said he wanted to change the kind of lacquer used for the gymnasium.

"That stuff should not be used in school," said Villebrun. Woytuik says Villebrun wanted to change the product because he thought it would dry faster.

Bonnell says the same projects had been used before in the school to no ill effects.

"We've done it before with the ventilation and nothing went wrong," said Bonnell.

Mechanical complications further aggravated the situation. "One of the boilers wasn't working," said Von Hagen, "We couldn't pump cold air into the school so it took us longer to get the air exchange going."

Students were evacuated at 10:45 a.m., high school students were told to go home and the rest waited until their parents were called.

"We take no chances around health," said Von Hagen.

Von Hagen added that the contract with Silverado Painting has been severed.

Villebrun told Yellowknifer he plans to fight any charges that may be laid against him.