A clean-up is underway to remove oil that spilled into an open ditch in Saanich, where crews worked to prevent it from flowing into a nearby creek.
Saanich Public Works received calls about a possible furnace oil spill around 8:15 p.m. Monday, a spokesperson says. Crews were on scene within a half hour and found the oil entering the ditch at Courtland Avenue and Squire Street.
On Monday night, someone emailed CHEK News about the spill, saying, “Lots of Saanich persons on site, but it keeps pouring out from the pipes into a live fish stream.”
Crews eventually traced the oil back to its source on Alan Road and stopped the leak, and also installed booms and pads to capture the oil to prevent it from going downstream to Durrell Creek, the spokesperson said in an email.
“Currently, there is a tanker truck onsite skimming off the oil on the surface water, and Saanich crews will be onsite for most of the day,” they said Tuesday afternoon.
A private property owner is now hiring a consultant for site remediation, adds the district, which has more information about spills online here.
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