Evacuation order issued in Slocan Valley after spill
Posted Jul 26, 2013 11:41 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
WINFIELD (NEWS1130) – A tanker truck carrying about 35,000 litres of jet fuel has crashed into a creek in the Slocan Valley.
Bill Macpherson of the Regional District of Central Kootenay says the vehicle was on its way to supply helicopters battling wildfires in the Perry Ridge area when it went off the road.
Macpherson says RCMP was the first to attend the accident but Mounties couldn’t get close to the tanker because of fumes.
Firefighters are going door to door in the communities of Winlaw and Lemon Creek to tell people about the spill. The concern is the danger of inhaling the fumes and the possibility of an explosion.
He figures about about 800 people will have to leave their homes. People have also been told not to drink the water.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the driver escaped with minor injuries.
