A man in his 70s was critically injured in a fire at a Canadian Natural Resources (CNRL) gas plant near Hussar, Alta., about 103 kilometres east of Calgary, on Friday morning. Stars Air Ambulance said it flew him to Foothills hospital in Calgary, and an EMS spokesperson confirmed early Friday afternoon that he was in critical, life-threatening condition.

Wheatland County Fire Services responded to the facility at 5:30 a.m. The local fire department near the Village of Hussar was first on scene and called in a hazardous materials team. One crew from Calgary also went to support Wheatland County Fire Services, while Calgary Fire Department hazardous materials technicians worked to identify chemicals and other hazardous materials.

A second worker who was at the site during the incident was assessed by medical personnel and released, CNRL said in a statement to CTV News. The company said its personnel and local emergency response resources managed the incident and that the fire was extinguished safely. “All regulatory bodies were notified of the incident. There is no safety threat to the public or the environment,” a CNRL spokesperson said.

The surrounding area was evacuated as a precaution. In a statement issued just after 6 p.m., Wheatland County said the evacuation radius had been reduced from three kilometres to 500 metres, then narrowed again early Friday evening. “The evacuation area has been reduced to within 100 meters of the facility,” the county said. “Residents who were previously evacuated, including those in Chancellor and surrounding areas, have been permitted to return home. “Fire services have cleared the scene. Site personnel continue to manage the incident, and the reduced evacuation area remains in place as a precaution.”

The county’s statement said fire crews had left the scene while site personnel continued managing the incident. CTV News said it had contacted CNRL for comment. Its report included files from The Canadian Press.

Based on reporting by CTV News Calgary.