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VANCOUVER — Symptoms of exposure to the chemical-laden smoke that blanketed portions of east Vancouver and carried into Burnaby could be delayed by as much as 24 hours, health officials warned after a massive container fire at the port Wednesday afternoon.

Vancouver police officers in full-face gas masks helped evacuate workers and residents from the Downtown Eastside after the streets darkened with smoke fuelled by trichloroisocyanuric acid, a chemical commonly used to chlorinate pools.

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“All civilians get inside right away. If you live in the immediate area, go home,” ordered one officer through the loudspeaker of his patrol car. “This is not a test.”

Police ordered people to leave or stay indoors in a partial evacuation zone that stretched west from Nanaimo to Main streets and south to Hastings Street, and advised anyone north of First Avenue to close their windows.

Dr. Meena Dawar, a medical health officer with Vancouver Coast Health, said late Wednesday symptoms of exposure to trichloroisocyanuric acid may take time to appear.

“People exposed to the smoke who experience wheezing or difficulty breathing, particularly those with underlying lung problems, should seek medical attention,” she said.