(UPDATE: Nov. 9 @ 1:30 pm) – Work continues at the site of last weekend’s Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) train derailment along Kamloops Lake as the amount of spilled fuel turns out to be less than initially estimated.
According to an update on the BC spill response website, the final calculation of lost products reported by CPKC is 70,536 litres of aviation fuel, 10,164 litres less than the preliminary estimate of 80,700 litres.
“It is not uncommon for the final reported product loss to be different from the preliminary estimation,” stated last night’s update.
“The final amount is confirmed after the material is offloaded, measured, and weighed, which gives a more accurate result.”
All of the rail cars that were carrying aviation fuel have been removed and the empty rail cars with residual gasoline have also been removed.
The two rail cars containing gypsum and the one empty lumber beam car still need to be removed from the scene.
The water quality test for the Walhachin community water system has come in and confirms that there is no contamination and impact to the water system.
(Original story: Nov. 8 @ 4:15 pm) – Crews remain at the site of last weekend’s train derailment along Kamloops Lake.
In a Friday update from Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), a spokesperson wrote that two rail cars were safely removed from the scene on Friday and two more were removed the day before, with the remaining cars expected to be removed in the coming days.
According to an update on the BC spill response website, an aerial flight on Friday did not observe any visible sheen outside of the boom containment area. The flight estimated that there is less than 25 litres of fuel inside the boom containment area.
Water sampling in the area will continue and CPKC’s samples all remain below the BC source water drinking guidelines.
“As reported on BC Environment's website, test results from all water samples taken Monday and Tuesday show no detections above BC safety thresholds for drinking water or aquatic life,” added CPKC.
“Additional daily water samples continue to be taken and sent for analysis. Containment booms remain in the water along the shore.”
As of Friday afternoon, there was no contamination of the Savona community water system, according to the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.
The regional district is still waiting for the test results from the Walhachin community water system, but the risk to the system “remains very low.”
In total, an estimated 80,700 litres of aviation fuel were spilled from two of the railcars at the scene.
