Firefighters are working to extinguish thousands of kilograms of lithium batteries that are on fire at the Port of Montreal.
In a Facebook post, the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough says a lockdown notice is in progress in a sector adjacent to the port due to the fire.
Residents between Vimont Street, Hochelaga Street, Haig Avenue and the St. Lawrence River are advised to stay indoors and close doors, windows and ventilation systems for their health and safety.
This notice remains in effect until further notice, the borough says.
Electricity has been cut in the area, affecting customers as far as one kilometre from the fire.
The fire service says a hazardous materials intervention team is involved. A small number of people close to the fire have been told to leave the area.
A cloud of smoke in the Port of Montreal drifted into nearby neighbourhoods. (Yannick Gadbois/Radio-Canada)
The batteries are in a shipping container, but firefighters say there is no risk that the second-alarm fire will spread to other containers.
The fire is near the intersection of Bousset Avenue and Notre-Dame Street. Notre-Dame is blocked in both directions, said Laurent Beaulieu, the borough’s chief of staff.
He said on the social media platform X that 15,000 kilograms of lithium batteries are involved.