Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Physiological - Other; Situational Awareness
Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Human Factors; Procedure
Lavatory was serviced with Blue Juice Liquid contaminated with gasoline that filled the aircraft with overwhelming fumes and vapors.Flight Crew was experiencing symptoms and was not given adequate and comfortable place to rest and recover from symptoms. Crew was informed to stay at the airport in case a plan to Dead Head us home developed.    XA:52Z Crew Reported and was sent down maze of corridors to the jet bridge without an escort and waited for an agent to hook up the jet bridge. XB:00Z (approx) Crew boards aircraft and begins initial preflight duties; I start the APU. I begin to smell Gasoline Fumes in the Flight Deck. I got out of the flight deck and asked the rest of the crew if they were smelling those Gasoline fumes.  The First Officer was just getting on the Aircraft after doing his walk around preflight and he said YES. He started to smell them as he approached the cabin entrance. The flight attendants both said YES and it's really strong in the aft of the aircraft.  I told them to get off the plane and go into the jet bridge.  The Lady that was our jet bridge driver and Ops Agent said she could smell them too.  She called the fire department right away and I opened the service door to get some ventilation.  When I opened the door there were three men standing below and I told them what was happening.  They pointed to the lav service truck and said maybe the guy had some gasoline on his shoes from filling the truck. First Officer indicated he saw no signs of a gasoline spill in the vicinity of the aircraft. The flight attendants; said they first smelled it when the guy with blue juice came down the aisle to fill the lav.  They were thinking maybe he had gasoline on his clothes or shoes.XB:06Z I called dispatch to inform them of our situation and that the Fire Department was on their way to investigate.XB:10Z we see fire trucks but do not see any fireman.  We wait for the firemen to come onboard to check out the Aircraft.  They don't come; so I ask to go out to speak to them. XB:18Z When I got outside; the firetrucks were gone.  I was told by Chief Airport Security Officer that they searched the area surrounding gate with a device for fumes and said they think the fumes were external from refueling the generators this morning. I mention to him that I wonder if maybe the blue juice isn't blue juice but maybe it's gasoline and if that is the case; is this and accident or is it intentional?  The man spoke with an accent and was hard to understand. He seemed to understand what I was saying and called someone on the radio speaking in French.  He said he was having ops find out who filled the lav and see if he used a contaminated bucket. He followed me back to the Aircraft to see for himself.XB:29Z I return on the aircraft with the Chief Security Officer.  The fumes had diminished in strength. I closed the service door to see if the fumes would accumulate to overwhelming again. First Officer was in the cockpit and the flight attendants were on the aircraft getting something in the overhead bin when I returned. I told them it would be safer on the jet bridge so they don't get sick. Prior to exiting the aircraft we all went to the aft of the aircraft with the Chief Security Officer; and the Agent to see if we could smell the blue juice.  At this point none of us were able to really smell anything because we had done so much sniffing trying to see if it was still present.  There was trace of fumes in the last few rows and in the lav area.  Then we all exited the aircraft and back into the jet bridge.XB:38Z Lav service returned back on the aircraft to flush the lav again for another fume check.  When they did this; the fumes were overwhelming.  I'm on the jet bridge speaking to all of the agents. They come rushing off the aircraft for us to come and smell for ourselves.  We are starting to rule out gasoline on clothing; carpet or shoes as the cause and agreed the fumes were related to the blue juice.XB:44Z I ask the Chief Security Officer what we need to do to make sure this isn't an intentional sabotage or terrorist threat to the flight?  He didn't have an answer for me. I needed to call Dispatch; but before I did that; they discussed with me that they were going to drain the lav and flush it out several times with different blue juice and see if that solved the problem.  I asked them to check the blue juice they take out for gasoline contamination.XB:55Z I called dispatch and Maintenance who told me that I needed to do a Maintenance write up in log can for FUMES IN LAV and have the lav tank emptied and let it vent for quite a while. He mentioned that he had heard of this happening once before.  Apparently some stations have been known to add gasoline to the blue juice to keep it from freezing. He said he was going to send Maintenance out. When I got off the phone; the Agent came off the plane and into the jet bridge and made a statement to us that; 'they have already done 2 complete flushes; and the fumes are not at a level that passengers could be contained in at 37;000 feet.' 'I'm getting concerned now;' he said. I proceeded to give instructions to the men currently flushing out the blue juice to drain it and let it vent.XC:10Z Flight Crew is on jet bridge and complaining they don't feel well.  I was also beginning to feel light headed; foggy and nauseous; so I sat down on the jet bridge floor to call whom I was told was in charge for the day.XC:13Z  We discuss the situation and he tells me to be ready for customs forcing us to leave per International rules. He suggested we get far away from the aircraft....XG:24Z I call Dispatch to touch base; but there are no changes to them receiving the report.  They release the Flight Attendants to the Hotel.XJ:35Z First Officer and I are still at airport waiting for a call. XK:39Z First Officer and I have missed the last Dead Head opportunity so we go to the hotel.I am concerned about 2 separate issues in this report.1. gasoline in the lavatory blue juice is a concern for safety of aircraft; and people on board.  Is this a common practice to keep the liquid from freezing; or was this an act of terrorism? Is this being taken seriously and investigated for all issues and concerns I have mentioned here? This needs to be investigated thoroughly.2.  Management displayed an unsympathetic attitude and response to the flight crew illness/recovery process and needs. when we the flight crew initially called to report we were not fit for duty because we were experiencing symptoms from exposure to the fumes;  We were told to just wait a little while and go drink water and get fresh air.  Water was accessible; but we were in an airport terminal and there was no fresh air unless we exited customs with no immediate way to get back into the terminal.  Management attitude got tense and very direct and firm with me the Captain; when I was persistent that we truly were not feeling well; and did not want to fly in command of the aircraft.  It was suggested that if we were truly experiencing any symptoms at all; that we should go straight to the hospital.  I stated we were in Canada and I needed direction from them on how to go about that process in Canada because our health insurance is not accepted there. I wasn't sure workman's comp would be either.  I explained I had a past experience with a flight attendant that had to go to the ER in Canada; and the ER refused her treatment because they demanded a $500 deposit since she was a U.S. citizen.  She did not have that kind of money and for whatever reason the company did not pay it; so she was sent on her way in a cab to the hotel untreated for a severe allergic reaction. Dispatch told me to find an airport Dr.; but there wasn't one; so Ops called a paramedic to assess us.  When we called to report back that we were assessed by airport paramedics and told our symptoms were normal and should subside throughout the day; he toldus he couldn't release us on a Dead Head home until he receive the paramedics report....
A CRJ700 Captain is informed by the flight Attendants of gasoline fumes in the aft lavatory during preflight. The fumes are apparently from gasoline added to the blue lavatory fluid for unknown reasons and attempts to clear the fumes are not successful; resulting in a flight cancelation.