Emergency alert system failed following fiery collision, Projet Montral says

Projet Montralsays the city's response following Tuesday's fiery crashon Highway 40 was too slow and that emergency protocols for immediate alerts were not followed.

According to the Montreal's official opposition party, the city's civil protection centre only sent out its first alert four hours after the rushhourcollision.

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It clearly states on theCity of Montreal website that local residents are supposed to be notified ifan accident involved dangerous materials on Highway 40 by telephone, text message and Twitter alerts, the oppositionsays.

Texts were eventually sent to cell phones of people in the area and landlines got voice messages at around 8 or 9 p.m., more than four hours after the accident happened.

Tweets were also sent out.

But PeterMcQueen, aProjetMontralcitycouncillor, said the information should have been sent to residents sooner.

He said leaving people without instructions about whether to close their windows or flee their homes for that long was irresponsible.

"It seems to me that with an alert system like that it's better to err on the side of caution. I mean the people what to know what's going on," he said.

On Thursday,Mayor Denis Coderrepraised emergency crews, and especially firefighters, for their quick response.

He didn't address ProjetMontral's criticisms directly.The westbound section of Highway 40 was reopened to traffic early Thursday.