Based on coverage from Castanet, Winnipeg Free Press, The Chilliwack Progress, Williams Lake Tribune, and CityNews Vancouver.
Fourteen people, including several young children, were assessed by paramedics Friday morning after a hazmat call near Portage Park in Chilliwack, B.C. No one was taken to hospital, according to B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS).
The incident in Chilliwack raises concerns about public safety in recreational areas, a topic that has been previously explored in coverage of community opposition to the Spa Hills expansion, where residents cited issues of contamination and odours.
What exactly triggered the chemical exposure took a few hours to pin down. Early on, responders treated it as an “unknown source” situation. Local reporting later tied it to pepper spray or bear spray used in the park the night before, with residue believed to be the culprit.
Hazmat call at Portage Park, Chilliwack
BCEHS says three ambulances and a supervisor were dispatched to Portage Park around 11 a.m. Friday. In a separate account, CityNews places the response “shortly before 11 a.m.” and describes it as a hazmat incident at a playground area.
Photos shared online from the scene show multiple ambulances and a fire truck, with people receiving care while sitting on the ground.
BCEHS’s bottom line: 14 patients were assessed, and none needed transport to hospital.
Children exposed near Macken Avenue daycare
The Chilliwack Progress reported the call involved several young children and centred around exposure affecting kids at a nearby daycare. Their reporting says children were exposed to chemical residue connected to a pepper-spray incident in the park the night before.
The Progress initially described the Friday morning call as possible chemical exposure from an unknown source. It later reported that, while crews found “no obvious source of the contamination” on arrival, further investigation pointed to a bear-spray incident reported April 16.
So while everyone agrees the Friday response involved chemical exposure and a hazmat-style precaution, the local reporting adds the key detail: the likely origin was spray residue left behind from the previous night.
BCEHS and Chilliwack Fire response details
CityNews reports firefighters played a hands-on role in managing the scene. Chilliwack Fire Department Emergency Coordinator Chris Wilson told CityNews that two engine crews provided decontamination and assisted first responders.
That aligns with the hazmat framing used across reports: even if the exposure was limited, the response treated it as a potential contamination event, especially with children involved.
The Chilliwack Progress also reported that Chilliwack Fire Department and B.C. Ambulance Service personnel attended to investigate and treat those affected.
What’s still unclear from RCMP
While the Chilliwack Progress points to pepper spray or bear spray residue as the source, CityNews said it reached out to the Chilliwack RCMP for more information, including the nature of the hazardous substance and the condition of the victims.
For now, the confirmed public details are fairly narrow: 14 assessed, no hospital transports, and decontamination support on scene. The remaining questions are the kind parents and neighbours will care about most: how the spray ended up in the park, whether it was used deliberately, and what steps will be taken to prevent a repeat around a busy playground and daycare area.
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