Train Derailment Hope B.C.

DISCLAIMER: Information provided is based on reports received by Emergency Management B.C. Information provided is considered to be current at the time of posting, but is subject to change as new information becomes available.

Incident Description

Incident Date	September 14, 2020
Name	Train Derailment Hope B.C. (DGIR: 202111)
Source	Trail Derailment
Nearest Community	Hope, B.C.
Spilled Content	Potash
Who is involved?	Environment and Climate Change Canada, Transport Canada, CN Rail, B.C. Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy (ENV)

 

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Response Phase Detail

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 clean up, the Ministry of Environment & 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. See More Information for other related 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).

Most Recent Update

September 24, 2020 - 10:30 am 

Efforts are ongoing to remove the potash offsite. Fish observations and water quality sampling activities are continuing.

An Environmental Emergency Response Officer (EERO) continues to monitor the incident. 

September 16, 2020 - 9:00 am 

At 5:20 am on September 14, 2020 a CN train derailed in Hope B.C. at Hunter Creek near the Fraser River.

There were 60 rail cars off the tracks and 20 rail cars overturned. Train cars have been removed from the bridge and train tracks. 

Environmental contractors have arrived to the incident site to install sediment fencing and containment boom. Water sampling plans have been developed and submitted to Unified Command.  

An Environmental Emergency Response Officer (EERO) with the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV) continues to monitor the incident.  

Additional updates will be posted as new information becomes available.