Emergency officials say about 1,000 litres of gasoline spilled in a mishap at the AFD station in Nakusp on Thursday morning.
Emergency crews closed off a section of Government Road in Nakusp to deal with the spill just before 9 a.m.. Fire officials also blocked off a portion of 1st Avenue, Government Hill Road, and the back alley beside the AFD gas station.
“There is no immediate threat to homes or businesses in the area,” said a news release issued by the Regional District of Central Kootenays. “However, the smell is quite noticeable. If you are in the area, it is recommended that you close your windows and doors as a precaution.”
Nakusp Fire Service blocked off the area while crew members contained and cleaned up the spill.
“There was fuel everywhere,” said Nakusp Fire Chief Terry Warren. “It was pooling all over, and fuel even got onto the roof of the garage.”
That may have happened when gas from the overfilled tanks went up the air vents, he said.
An official with the RDCK’s emergency response team says it’s not clear what caused the situation..
“Something went wrong when they were refuelling the fuel tanks of the gas station,” says Chris Johnson, the emergency program manager for the RDCK. “Basically the fuel tanks got overfilled. From there the product spilled into the environment.”
Johnson says crews were able to contain the spill, and no gasoline entered the village drainage or spilled into Arrow Lake, located about 150 metres downhill from the station.
“Nakusp Fire was able to contain it on site, kept it out of the storm drains, nothing went downhill,” he said.
The incident will be investigated by the company and government environment officials.
