Fuel truck spill Golden

Last updated on June 30, 2023

Disclaimer:

  • Information provided is based on reports received by Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR).
  • Information provided is considered to be current at the time of posting, but is subject to change

Incident description

Incident Date June 15, 2023
Name DGIR: 232233
Source Locomotive collision with fuel truck
Nearest Community Golden, BC
Spilled Content Diesel
Who is involved Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV), Environment Canada, Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern (CPKC), Columbia-Shuswap Regional District (CSRD), Interior Health (IH), Town of Golden, Tk’emlups, Splat’sin, Shuswap Indian Band, Adams Lake Indian Band, Kutanaxa, Akisqnuk Nation, Metis Nation, Okanagan Indian Band

Response phase details

The responsible person or spiller is legally required to clean-up or manage the clean-up of a spill.

In incidents where the responsible person is unknown, unable or unwilling to manage the cleanup, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV) may assume the role. 

The updates below reflect the ministry’s oversight of the spillers’ actions. Details describe the spill response phase only and not the complete lifecycle of the spill. Visit the 'More information' page for other reports. 

Updates are in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top.

Industry-specific language may be explained in the Glossary of Terms (PDF, 106KB).

Most recent updates

June 30, 2023

CPKC is working to determine the cause of the incident involving their locomotive and Trimac's tanker fuel truck. CPKC continues to lead the response for this incident.

No further updates are anticipated.

June 28, 2023

Soil contamination has been removed from the area of highest impact. The installation of eight monitoring wells is complete and environmental samples have been collected from the wells. Groundwater monitoring results will be shared with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and Interior Health with ongoing analysis of those results.

The risk to human health has been mitigated due to the removal of the contaminated soil, installation of monitoring wells, and the flow of the aquifer.

Conversations continue between Trimac, CPKC, local authority and the Metis Nation Columbia River Society and will remain ongoing throughout the recovery efforts on this site.

June 22, 2023

The environmental monitoring of wells on the western and southwestern side of the impacted site continues.

Minimal vapors have been detected in the wells to date and the responsible party's contractors have met with the local authority to inspect the existing non-potable well and monitoring well. Environmental consultants and the environmental officer for the responsible party remain on site to complete this work.

The backfilling of the large excavation area was completed and train tracks were rebuilt.

Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.

Image showing an aerial shot of the excavated spill site in Golden, BC

June 20, 2023

A large excavation of the area was completed, and the excavated area was determined to have the highest level of subsurface impacts from the spill.

Groundwater monitoring through well drilling was initiated and the responsible party continues to work with the local authority to access a monitoring well for testing. 

Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.

June 19, 2023

The responsible party is performing test pitting to locate the remaining fuel discharge at the site. Excavations began on the impacted soil and a laydown area was established with polyester material. Rain in the area was present throughout most of the day but water did not accumulate in the area.

Excavated material is being collected and removed while tests on the impacted soil were found to be non-hazardous. Sampling of nearby wells in the area is taking place and the responsible party is working to identify and capture the remaining spilled material.

A well remediation and monitoring report is being produced and results will be provided to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.

Image showing an excavated spill site in Golden, BC

June 15, 2023

On June 15 at approximately 10:00am, the Environmental Emergency Program (EEP) was informed of a spill involving a Trimac tanker fuel truck and a single CPKC locomotive at the CP Railyard near Golden, BC. Up to 25,000L of diesel is estimated to have spilled from the truck.

The Golden Fire Department responded immediately and deployed boom (physical barriers to contain the spread of the diesel) to protect wetlands in the area. There were no reports of waterways impacted and no reports of injuries due to the spill incident.

An Environmental Emergency Response Officer (EERO) was mobilized to the location on June 16 for follow-up assessment.

Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.

Spill site

 

Contact information

For media inquiries, please contact media relations: