Power failure causes death of over 9,000 fish, frogs at University of Alberta
EDMONTON — A power failure that unleashed chlorinated municipal tap water into freshwater tanks at a University of Alberta research facility has killed more than 9,000 fish and frogs.
The Edmonton university says an electrical short due to a corroded switch disabled two dechlorination pumps some time on May 12. The failure wasn’t detected until the following morning.
“The University of Alberta regrets the loss of any animal in our care and we are doing everything possible to ensure this does not happen again,” Lorne Babiuk, vice-president of research, said in a statement Tuesday.
The university will not resume research involving the freshwater tanks until it’s safe to do so, he said. The Canadian Council on Animal Care has advised the university not to restock the tanks until a thorough review is done.