800 people issued evacuation order after fuel truck crashes into creek

WINLAW, B.C. – Officials in British Columbia’s Central Kootenay region have issued an evacuation order affecting about 800 people after a tanker truck carrying 35,000 litres of jet fuel crashed into a creek.

Bill Macpherson of the Regional District of Central Kootenay said the regional medical officer issued the order around 9 p.m. Friday, and that it covers a 30- to 35-kilometre stretch of land in the Slocan Valley.

The order begins at the junction of Highway 3 and Highway 6, about halfway between Nelson and Castelgar, and ends three kilometres north of the community of Lemon Creek, said Macpherson.

It covers residents living 300 metres on either side of a watercourse, he added.

“The reason for the evacuation-order area being as broad as it is is strictly precautionary, but you always have to be concerned with jet fuel.”

Macpherson said there are health concerns, especially with fumes in confined spaces and there’s “always the potential of the explosiveness of the fumes.”

Residents affected by the evacuation order are being asked to go to emergency centres being set up in schools.

Macpherson said the order is mandatory, however, anyone over the age of 16 can refuse to leave if they so choose.

Bill Barisoff, who lives in downtown Winlaw and about half a block away from the Slocan River, said he found out about the spill from a friend who phoned him just as he was heading to bed.

By 11 p.m. Friday, he said he hadn’t been issued an evacuation order.

“No knock on the door. I live right by the fire hall. There was no action here whatsoever,” he said. “My property adjoines the fire hall.”

Resident John Boe said he lives on the river in downtown Winlaw and hadn’t heard anything about the spill or evacuation order.

“It’s a light smell, but I can smell it,” he said, noting the scent was like diesel fuel.

“I don’t see nothing else happening. Nobody’s around here. So there’s nobody coming to our door or anything yet.”

Officials were informed of the accident along the Lemon Creek Forest Service Road, a gravel route, in the Slocan Valley at about 5:15 p.m.

The truck had been on its way to supply helicopters battling wildfires in the Perry Ridge area when the accident occurred.

“The RCMP were first responders and they were unable to get too close to the tanker itself because of fumes from jet fuel,” said Macpherson.

There’s no word on the fate of the truck driver, or on the possible contamination of the creek, which feeds into the Slocan River.

Winlaw is a community of about 400 people in the Slocan Valley, 19 kilometres south of Slocan and 46 kilometres north of Castlegar.

According to the Ministry of Forests, the Perry Ridge fire is burning about 4.5 kilometres west of Winlaw and was discovered on Wednesday.

The ministry says 65 firefighters and five helicopters have been battling the blaze which is estimated to be about 35 hectares in size.

— by Keven Drews in Vancouver