BC Hazmat Management says they responded to a home in Central Saanich Monday after a local junk removal company encountered tear gas.
It started when the junk haulers were removing old items from an outbuilding at a home on Seaboard Crescent. One of those items was a coffee can in a bag that opened while being handled. A white powder was released that severely irritated the eyes and lungs of the two surprised workers.
Emergency crews took the workers to hospital where they were treated. BC Hazmat, a private company, was called to deal with the white powder. It turned out to be a chemical compound used in tear gas.
The homeowner had no idea what was in the can, since the items being removed belonged to a previous homeowner.