Bombardier/Canadair Undifferentiated or Other Model
Physiological - Other
Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General Physical Injury / Incapacitation; General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
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. Shortly after we began our initial preflight of the day; the Ops Agent hooked up to Jet Bridge. The Ops Agent (she said she was getting a headache and left before I got her name). The 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. 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 its 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. I called dispatch to inform them of our situation and that the Fire Department was on their way to investigate. 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. When I got outside; the firetrucks were gone.  I was told by Chief Airport Security Officer that they searched the area surrounding the 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. 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 Ops 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. Lav service returned to 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 ruleout gasoline on clothing; carpet or shoes as the cause and agreed the fumes were related to the blue juice. 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. I called dispatch and spoke with Maintenance who told me that I needed to do a maintenance (MX) write up in log can for FUMES IN LAV and have the lav tank emptied and let it vent for quite awhile. 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 MX 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. 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.  I called Dispatch and 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.  Flight Crew removed personal items from the aircraft and went up to the gate area.  I get paged to return to the gate.  I go down to the Aircraft and meet maintenance.  He says he doesn't smell it anymore. I went in the aft of the aircraft to smell it; and I don't smell anything.  I told him that I didn't feel well and I had a headache so I didn't know how reliable my sense of smell was. He signs the Aircraft off and I shut the Aircraft down so I could return to the gate area to speak with the crew. Flight Crew does a FIT TO FLY assessment.  We feel unfit to fly due to the fume exposure and the associated symptoms we were each experiencing. Flight Crew calls scheduling to report this assessment. They advise we get fresh air and drink water to feel better. Then we are asked to get a medical assessment. Ops Agent escorts crew to the Ops Office and she calls the paramedics to meet with us there. Paramedics arrive and assess us.  They said they do not have any paperwork they can give us regarding our assessment because they write their reports at the end of the day. I told them that I needed something to give to the company.  They gave me a piece of paper with handwritten information on it. We are told that we cannot be released to Dead Head until they get the report from the Paramedics that assessed us. We are instructed to go and get some fresh air; eat something and wait for them to call us back about a Dead Head.  There is nowhere to go with all of our luggage outside of the airport.  We decide we have more comfortable seating and food options if we stay inside of customs. There are no reasonably restful places to hang at the airport all day outside of Customs. In addition; once we leave customs; we cannot get back in unless we have a PNR for a Dead Head.  So we were not able to get any fresh air; but at least had food and better seating options while we waited for the call. I call to touch base; but there are no changes to them receiving the report.  They release the Flight Attendants to the Hotel. First Officer and I are still at airport waiting for a call. Nearly 10 hours after checking in; the 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....
The reporter states that her company is not pursuing an investigation of the matter but still believes that it may be a security issue.
CARJ Captain discovers that the liquid used to service the aft lavitory is contaminated with gasoline that filled the aircraft with overwhelming fumes and vapors. It is suggested but never verified that the lav service company uses gasoline to prevent the liquid from freezing. The flight is canceled.