Bird's eye view of the train derailment near the North Pacific Cannery on Monday, March 16th // Courtesy: BC's Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
The BC Government’s Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness has confirmed around 1000 liters of diesel fuel had leaked from a derailed locomotive near Port Edward on Monday this week, March 16th.
Twenty-seven empty grain hopper cars along with the train’s lead locomotive had been pushed off the tracks by a mudslide about 20kms south of Prince Rupert, and about two track miles east of the North Pacific Cannery.
Initially, CN Rail had reported that no spills or leaks had occurred during the incident, but a closer inspection in the time since had discovered a leak within one of the lead locomotive’s diesel tanks.
The leaked fuel has worked its way along drainage paths, and a sheen has been visible within Inverness Passage indicating that some of it had reached the watercourse. Containment and clean up operations began immediately upon confirmation of the spill, with an Environmental Emergency Response Officer dispatched to the site today to provide oversight.
The West Coast Marine Response Corporation is leading the cleanup efforts, with further support from the Gitxaala Environmental Services team, alongside Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Transport Canada, CN Rail itself, BC’s Ministry of Environment and Parks as well as Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Skimming is underway on the water, with a containment boom and absorbent materials already deployed.
The latest word from the site indicates that sixteen rail cars remain off the tracks and will require recovery operations.
While there had been no injuries reported among the train’s crew, the impact the derailment has had on local marine life has yet to be determined. Hereditary Chief’s of the Gitxsan Huwlip Government have recently condemned the derailment as a direct threat to the wellbeing of Oolichans currently spawn within the Skeena, and by extension, a threat to the food security of the Gitxsan people and all those who depend on the Oolichan fishery.
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