VICTORIA -- Clean-up crews were working furiously today to remove gasoline soaked
soil from a stretch of the Malahat Highway.
A tanker truck crashed into the rock face Saturday spilling thousands of litres of fuel.
RCMP believe alcohol could be a factor in the crash; the driver was arrested and
released as crash analysts continue to investigate.
"Potentially it could have been disastrous", says Chief Bob Beckett from Langford
Fire Rescue" From a safety standpoint; fire and or explosion given the nature of the
product being carried in the transport truck".
That risk meant fire officials had to close the highway for 22 hours. Beckett says it
was a necessary inconvenience.
"Safety of the first responders; fire-fighters, police, paramedics, and those involved
in righting the truck back up onto its wheels has to come first", he says.
/A\ News reporter Stephen Andrew says the stench around the area where the truck
crashed is at times overwhelming.
The Ministry of the Environment says crews could be scooping up the contaminated
soil well into tomorrow. But, the crash site is just the beginning of the devastation.
Dan Claxton, Fisheries Manager for the Tsawout First Nation says though most of the
gas has evaporated, underneath there's still a residue.
"When you step on it" he says as he disturbs the water with his wading boots "You
can see the sheen and the rainbows coming up from underneath the rocks".
The gasoline that poured into the Goldstream River killed thousands of fish and other
marine life.
Ian Bruce, a biologist who is consulting for the Tsawout First Nation says the fish died
immediately.
Biologists are calling it one of the worst environmental disasters they have seen on
Southern Vancouver Island
The Environment Ministry says the aftermath of the spill could last as long as four
years.
Graham Knox is manager with B.C.'s Environmental Emergency Program "The
fortunate news is this is only impacting one, perhaps two cycles", referring to the
salmon that breed in the river "And those others (annual runs) may not be impacted.
Although if there's longer term impacts to food sources in the river for the salmon,
that does have an impact".
That is a serious concern to First Nations who they rely on the river for food.
"It's going to be devastation to our people", says Chief Ivan Morris of the Tsartlip First
Nation as he stares into the water watching workers collect dead fish "It's going to be
devastation to our people because it is a food source that we use on a daily basis
during the winter. We use it not only for consumption, but we use the salmon itself in
ceremonial practices that we carry on with from day to day".
Columbia Fuels, the owner of the tanker, says has hired experts to manage the clean
up.
The company says it will make things right.
Allan Willms is the Director of Operations for the Pacific Region of Parkland Industries.
The company owns and operates Columbia Fuels.
"We're being told this event, while significant, had a short term impact on that
particular portion of the river" he says "And we will stay involved, and we will continue
to monitor, and continue to clean as required. But, we will not walk away from this".
Columbia Fuels says the driver of the truck has been suspended with pay as the
police investigation continues.
