An oilfield worker is believed to have been overcome by a deadly gas while on the job Tuesday morning and was taken to Virden hospital by his coworkers.
Fire Chief Brad Yochim says the man collapsed after inhaling hydrogen sulfide. Hospital protocol required staff to call it in as a hazardous materials emergency. So at around 11:30 a.m. the Wallace District Fire Department and EMS raced to the scene.
Yochim says because the gas in question wasn’t spilled but inhaled by the worker, emergency responders took no action. He says the patient was sent to Brandon Hospital for treatment. His condition is not known.
Hydrogen sulfide is a byproduct of oil production. It’s a colourless gas that smells like rotten eggs and is highly poisonous and corrosive.
