Staff
In the wake of a CN train derailment in Barwick yesterday which resulted in a fuel spill, the Ministry of the Environment has officials on site, working closely with emergency responders and CN rail to make sure all impacts to the environment are assessed and minimized as much as possible.
“The safety of Ontarians and the protection of our environment is our number one priority. We are relieved that no one was injured in this incident,” said Lucas Malinowski, spokesperson for the Office of the Honourable Glen Murray, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.
“The transportation of dangerous goods, including oil, is the responsibility of the federal government,” he added.
“We have repeatedly called on them to do more to improve rail safety and regulations to better protect our citizens, communities and the environment,” noted Malinowski.
One of the derailed cars is estimated to have spilled approximately 10,000-12,000 gallons of petroleum distillates.
At this time, the spill is not expected to threaten surface waters, including the Rainy River.
Containment booms have been put in place to keep the spill from migrating and a vacuum truck is on site to capture the liquid.
While there are currently no fires on site, citizens are asked to stay clear of the area for their safety and to allow emergency response personnel to carry out their important work.
