Security fences go up at Belmont

Worker constructs Belmont siding security fence which will enclose chlorine storage rail cars.

Work crews for the Washington and Idaho Railway began constructing a six-foot fence around the Belmont siding last week.

The site will be home to 45,000 tons of liquid chlorine that will be stored in tanker cars on the siding track.

The railroad is storing the chlorine tankers for Vancouver-based chemical company Canexus. The tanks are expected to arrive this week or next, as Canexus secures its North Vancouver manufacturing plant for the 2010 Winter Olympics, which begin in Vancouver next Friday, Feb. 12.

The tanker cars are expected to be stored at Belmont at least through this summer. In addition to the Olympic security measures, Canexus will store the cars at Belmont while it overhauls its home plant.

Storage of the cars prompted concern amongst the few Belmont residents, who were upset at the idea of having the potentially toxic chemical stored mere feet away from their front doors.

Canexus and railroad officials have taken extensive security measures. The fenced-in area will be patrolled around the clock by security guards. Local fire and emergency response crews were briefed late last year on how best to react to the unlikely event that the chlorine would leak from the tanker cars.