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March 9, 2026
March 9, 2026 - 4:00 p.m.
Car wash for affected vehicles extended into Tuesday, March 10
As a precaution, affected vehicles that travelled eastbound or westbound on Vanier Highway or Trans-Canada Highway between Fredericton and Oromocto, or on Vanier Industrial Drive, from the evening of Wednesday, March 4 to Friday, March 6 at 4 p.m. can use the car wash.
It will be open Tuesday, March 10 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Vanier Industrial Drive is closed to all through traffic between the overpass and Vanier Industrial Park at Pepin Road, except for affected vehicles attending the car wash. Detours are in place to direct traffic around this closure.
The investigation is ongoing. The remediation of the roads is nearing completion. Ongoing removal of lane restrictions is underway, but the Alison Blvd interchange/Vanier Industrial Drive will remain closed so the car wash for affected vehicles can operate on Monday.
In the coming days and weeks, monitoring, testing, and remedial work will continue on the shoulders of the impacted roads. We have confirmed that the City of Fredericton’s drinking water system is not impacted, and local wells are not anticipated to be impacted.
The health risks related to this chemical spill remain very low.
We encourage anyone with questions to please contact EFI Global on their 24/7 Emergency Spill Line at 1-866-530-4086. Callers should indicate that they are contacting them regarding the chemical spill in Fredericton, NB. You will be asked to provide your name, address, and contact information.
Public Health precautions and advice remain the same.
If you did not come into direct contact with the chemicals and do not have yellow or orange residue on your car, your health risk remains very low.
A one-time or short contact with hexavalent chromium does not increase your cancer risk. While this chemical may cause cancer when someone is exposed to it over a long period of time, this is not the case in the current situation.
Anyone experiencing persistent skin, eye, or respiratory irritation, or other symptoms after contact, should seek medical advice, or call Tele-Care 811. If you have not come into direct contact and are not experiencing symptoms, no action is required.
March 8, 2026
March 8, 2026 - 6:30 p.m.
New Entry Route for Car Wash
Due to the reopening of ramps this evening on the Alison Boulevard interchange, a car wash will be set up for affected vehicles located on Vanier Industrial Drive at Beek Court. Beginning Monday morning, the entrance to the car wash will be accessible via Wilsey Road and the Exit 5 interchange of the Vanier Highway.
As a precaution, affected vehicles that travelled eastbound or westbound on Vanier Highway or Trans-Canada Highway between Fredericton and Oromocto, or on Vanier Industrial Drive, from the evening of Wednesday, March 4 to Friday, March 6 at 4 p.m.can use the car wash.
It will be open Monday, March 9 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
March 8, 2026 – 1 p.m.
The investigation is ongoing. The remediation of the roads is nearing completion. Ongoing removal of lane restrictions is underway, but the Alison Blvd interchange/Vanier Industrial Drive will remain closed so the car wash can operate on Monday.
In the coming days and weeks, monitoring, testing, and remedial work will continue on the shoulders of the impacted roads. We have confirmed that the City of Fredericton’s drinking water system is not impacted, and local wells are not anticipated to be impacted.
The health risks related to this chemical spill remain very low.
Car wash for affected vehicles
Out of an abundance of caution, a car wash has been set up for affected vehicles located off Alison Boulevard, near the on ramp to the eastbound lane on Highway 7 TODAY March 8 until 6p.m. and TOMORROW Monday, March 9 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is for vehicles that are visibly showing yellow or orange staining that may have travelled eastbound or westbound on the Vanier Highway / Trans-Canada Highway between Fredericton and Oromocto or driven on Vanier Industrial Drive, between the evening of Wednesday, March 4 to Friday, March 6, at 4 p.m.
Please do not go to the decontamination site unless you have an affected vehicle.
Staff working on the scene will be in personal protective equipment as they will be exposed for a longer period and to protect themselves.
If you have already washed your vehicle, and there is yellow or orange substance in your garage or yard, please contact EFI Global on their 24/7 Emergency Spill Line at 1-866-530-4086. Callers should indicate that they are contacting them regarding the chemical spill in Fredericton, NB. You will be asked to provide your name, address, and contact information. EFI Global will arrange to visit your property to investigate the situation further.
Public Health precautions and advice remain the same.
If you did not come into direct contact with the chemicals and do not have residue on your car, your health risk remains very low. A onetime or short contact with hexavalent chromium does not increase your cancer risk. However, this chemical may cause cancer when someone is exposed to it over a long period of time.
Anyone experiencing persistent skin, eye, or respiratory irritation, or other symptoms after contact, should seek medical advice, or call Tele-Care 811. If you have not come into direct contact and are not experiencing symptoms, no action is required.
March 7, 2026
March 7, 2026 – 4 p.m.
The investigation is ongoing. Testing and sampling are underway, and results will be shared with the public as soon as they are available. We have confirmed that the City of Fredericton water is not impacted.
The health risks related to this chemical spill remain very low.
Car wash for affected vehicles
Out of an abundance of caution, a car wash has been set up for affected vehicles located off Alison Boulevard, near the on ramp to the eastbound lane on Highway 7 until 6:15 p.m. TODAY and tomorrow, Sunday, March 8 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is for vehicles that may have travelled eastbound or westbound on the Vanier Highway / Trans-Canada Highway between Fredericton and Oromocto or driven on Vanier Industrial Drive, between the evening of Wednesday, March 4 to Friday, March 6, at 4 p.m.
Please do not go to the decontamination site unless you have an affected vehicle.
If you have already washed your vehicle, and there is yellow substance in your garage or yard, please contact EFI Global on their 24/7 Emergency Spill Line at 1-866-530-4086. Callers should indicate that they are contacting them regarding the chemical spill in Fredericton, NB. You will be asked to provide your name, address, and contact information. EFI Global will arrange to visit your property to investigate the situation further.
Staff working on the scene will be in personal protective equipment as they will be exposed for a longer period and to protect themselves.
Public Health precautions and advice remain the same.
If you did not come into direct contact with the chemicals and do not have residue on your car, your health risk remains very low. A onetime or short contact with hexavalent chromium does not increase your cancer risk. Preliminary testing indicates that the spilled material contains hexavalent chromium, and we are continuing to investigate.
The Public Health advice remains the same.
Anyone experiencing persistent skin, eye, or respiratory irritation, or other symptoms after contact, should seek medical advice, or call Tele-Care 811. If you have not come into direct contact and are not experiencing symptoms, no action is required.
March 6, 2026
March 6, 2026, 9:00 p.m.
Chemical spill
Preliminary testing has detected traces of sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, and chromium that could be harmful. The chromium spill was approximately 1000 litres over approximately 14 km in total.
Those affected could be anyone who may have driven eastbound or westbound on the Vanier Highway / Trans-Canada Highway between Fredericton and Oromocto or driven on Vanier Industrial Drive, between Thursday, March 5 to Friday, March 6, at 4 p.m.
Public Health precautions
Public Health advises those who may have driven in the affected areas to take these precautions:
- Avoid touching any visible residue on vehicles or other outdoor surfaces.
- Keep children and pets away from any areas where residue may be present.
- Wash hands thoroughly for 15 minutes with soap and water after touching your vehicle or other potentially affected surfaces.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth after contact with potentially affected surfaces until hands have been washed.
- If the substance comes into contact with skin or eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of clean water for 15 minutes.
Anyone experiencing persistent skin, eye, or respiratory irritation, or other symptoms after contact, should seek medical advice, or call Tele-Care 811. If you have not come in direct contact and are not experiencing symptoms, no action is required.
Environmental monitoring and next steps
An environmental consultant is on site to assess any impacts on the surrounding environment. Testing and sampling are underway, and results will be shared with the public as soon as they are available.
Further updates on this situation, including road conditions, health recommendations, and recommendations for cleaning vehicles will be provided as cleanup and monitoring continue.