Chemical spill in Saskatoon isolated underground

Watch above: Crews stopping asphalt emulsion leak from reaching river

SASKATOON – The city and Saskatoon Fire Department helped isolate 3,000 litres of asphalt emulsion from contaminating the South Saskatchewan River.

Around 12:20 p.m. on Saturday, fire crews responded a leak of an unknown substance at a hotel parking lot in the 100-block of Circle Drive.

Battalion Chief David Nahachewsky says 2,500 litres of asphalt emulsion leaked out of a damaged tanker truck and then down a storm drain.

“It’s a coating or a top coat for asphalt or pavement,” said Nahachewsky.

He says there is no immediate danger to the public and the leak is not a serious health risk. The biggest concern was if it reached the river.

“Basically, it’s a larger cleanup, there’s environmental laws preventing pollution, so that’s what we are trying to stop is the continuation of pollution,” said Nahachewsky.

All 3,000 litres from the tanker truck were spilt. Fire crews and Hazmat helped prevent approximately 500 litres of the substance from going down the drain using diking materials and Envirotec will clean the surface area.

“What our process now is to make sure that we stop it before it goes into the river, so that’s why the city is here to trace the lines down so we can figure out where to stop it and then we’ll clean it out after that,” said Nahachewsky.

Police were on scene to investigate the cause of the petroleum by-product spill. The driver of the tanker truck and a foreman were on site.

City crews isolated the storm drain line within two and a half hours to prevent it from causing more any further damage.

The exact cost for the cleanup is not available.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment is now in command of the incident.