More than 80,000 litres of fuel spilled after train derailment in B.C. Interior

Cleanup continues after a train derailment near Kamloops last weekend when an estimated 12,700 litres of aviation fuel were spilled into a lake.

Cleanup continues after a train derailment near Kamloops, B.C., last weekend—with officials estimating roughly 80,000 litres of aviation fuel were “released into the environment.”

The 17-car Canadian Pacific Kansas City train carrying fuel and gypsum went off the tracks on Saturday, sending several cars down a steep slope and into Kamloops Lake, according to the provincial Environment Ministry.

Containment booms were set up in the immediate aftermath and provincial officials said derailed and submerged cars were the initial focus of cleanup.

“One rail car loaded with aviation fuel has been removed. Two rail cars containing aviation fuel remain on the slope. Leaks from the two aviation fuel tank cars on the slope have been reduced to minor drips and have containment in place,” an update Sunday said from the province said.

“One empty rail car with potential gasoline residue remains in the lake. There is a second empty gasoline car that slide down slope this afternoon and is at the water’s edge. One empty gasoline rail car (containing residue) remains on the slope. One rail car carrying gypsum remains partially submerged along the lake shoreline.”

On Monday, crews reinforced the containment booms after “some sheen” was observed “escaping” the area and began cleaning up the spilled fuel by skimming the surface and using peat moss as an “absorbent material,” according to the province.

On Tuesday, the remaining fuel was removed from one of the derailed fuel cars, which enabled the estimate that 12,700 litres of fuel had been spilled.

The second fuel car was removed and assessed Wednesday, and it was estimated to have spilled an additional 68,000 litres of fuel—bringing the total to 80,700 litres.

The results of water sampling are pending, according to the province.

No one was injured and the cause of the derailment has not been determined.Containment booms were set up in the immediate aftermath and provincial officials said derailed and submerged cars were the initial focus of the cleanup.

“One rail car loaded with aviation fuel has been removed. Two rail cars containing aviation fuel remain on the slope. Leaks from the two aviation fuel tank cars on the slope have been reduced to minor drips and have containment in place,” an update from the ministry Sunday said.

“One empty rail car with potential gasoline residue remains in the lake. There is a second empty gasoline car that slide down slope this afternoon and is at the water’s edge. One empty gasoline rail car (containing residue) remains on the slope. One rail car carrying gypsum remains partially submerged along the lake shoreline.”