Liquified Natural Gas Event Fort Nelson
Last updated on January 27, 2026Disclaimer:
- 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 | January 20, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Name | DGIR: 260266 |
| Source | Fuel Truck |
| Nearest Community | Fort Nelson, B.C. |
| Spilled Content | Liquified Natural Gas |
| Who is involved |
Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV), RCMP, Ft. Nelson Fire Department |
Response phase details
The responsible person or spiller is legally required to cleanup or manage the cleanup of a spill.
In incidents where the responsible person is unknown, unable or unwilling to manage the cleanup, the Ministry of Environment and Parks (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
January 22
The Responsible Person brought in response crews to undertake salvage and recovery operations.
The LNG container involved was an intermodal unit. The contents of the container were consumed by the fire. Once the fire stopped the actions taken were to
- Purge and remove the container.
- Assess the incident site.
- Remove the remaining debris.
Once the container and the debris were removed from the site, the highway was reopened to traffic.
Additional impacts from the fire are still being addressed.
Ft. Nelson Fire Department and an ENV Response Officer were on site to monitor operations.
The emergency phase has concluded. No further updates are anticipated.
January 20
On January 20, 2026, the Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV) received an updated report of a motor vehicle incident involving a bulk fuel carrier transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG), located approximately one hour west of Fort Nelson, B.C.
The incident involved a full vehicle fire following the motor vehicle collision. The LNG cargo tank, containing approximately 17,000 kilograms of LNG, was reportedly punctured during the incident. The released product is believed to have been vaporized and/or been consumed by fire.
Public safety risks remain elevated due to residual vapours and lower explosive limit (LEL) exceedances. The highway remains closed due to ongoing safety concerns.
The incident occurred on land and was reportedly not located near waterways. No confirmed release into water has been identified. Local Fire Department crews are actively managing fire suppression and site safety.
The RCMP are on scene providing traffic control and public safety management. An environmental consultant has been retained by the insurer to conduct an environmental assessment. Ongoing atmospheric monitoring is required due to vapour hazards.
The Responsible Person and insurer‑retained consultant are leading on‑site environmental evaluation. EEB will continue to coordinate with responders, monitor conditions remotely, and reassess the need for provincial on‑site presence should conditions change or impacts expand.