Why Was There An Evacuation And Road Closure Duluth’s Canal Park Today?

A handful of businesses in Duluth's Canal Park were evacuated, and a portion of a roadway in the neighborhood was closed Wednesday morning.

During the course of the morning, The Suites Hotel in Canal Park was evacuated, and it was reported that nearby businesses like Old Chicago and Red Lobster were also evacuated.

In addition, Lake Avenue was closed in front of the building, between Buchanan and Railroad Streets, in relation to the evacuation.

The Duluth Fire Department shared news on social media about the evacuation and road closure at 10:39 am Wednesday, asking people to stay away from the area until further notice due to concerns over a chlorine odor at The Suites.

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Around 9:30 Wednesday morning, the Duluth Fire Department responded to a call about a "possible chlorine gas presence" in the building. Chlorine gas is poisonous and can cause respiratory issues and lung injuries, among other things.

An investigation from responding firefighters found low levels of chlorine gas related to a chemical spill in the pool utility room at the hotel. The Duluth Fire Department's chemical assessment team was brought in to mitigate the spill and ventilate the building.

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After taking the appropriate steps to deal with the spill and chlorine gas in the building, evacuated staff and patrons were allowed to return back into the building, and Lake Avenue in front of the building was reopened by around 1 pm on Wednesday afternoon.

In a media release about the incident, the Duluth Fire Department thanked the public for their cooperation with the evacuation order. They also thanked other agencies responding to the incident, including the Duluth Police Department, Mayo Ambulance, and Duluth Public Works and Utilities.