CN Cleanup of Crash Site Winding Down

By 250 News

Prince George - The cleanup of the CN crash-derailment site continues. 

(photo at left shows site  moments after crash and derailment, photo Opinion250 archive)

On August 4^th,  two CN trains collided  on the line on the east side of the Fraser River,  across from Paddle Wheel Park in Prince George. The collision was then followed by a derailment, the  spill of diesel fuel  and a fire which took  nearly twelve hours to burn out.

“The contaminated soil has been removed” says Sean Sharpe of the Ministry of the Environment.  CN was required to remove soil until the samples showed no further sign of diesel contamination.

That meant digging to the water table.  “Some of the diesel did wash down to the water table” says Sharpe “That was our concern from the very beginning as the rain washed the contaminant down.  The samples now show there is no more contaminant in the area.”

Clean fill has been added to the site, and Sharpe says the site restoration will continue in the spring.  “For now, we will continue monitoring the site.”

This evening,  the Vice President of CN’s Western  Region will be appearing before Prince George City Council to  talk about safety issues and what CN  is doing to  reduce such incidents.

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