Global News has learned that an accident near Hedley on Monday causing a fuel truck to spill 10,000 litres of diesel involved independently-owned and operated Cool Creek Energy.
READ MORE: Little to no fuel spilled into Similkameen River: province
The vice president of the Interior company, with a head office in Kamloops, said it has never dealt with a fuel spill before.
“I’ve been in this business for 33 years and this is a first for me, it’s a first for us,” Shane Mott said.
“We’ve had minor dings and so on but we’ve never had a spill.”
Mott said he went to the scene of the single-vehicle accident on Highway 3, just west of Hedley on Monday night, shortly after it happened.
The crash left the Cool Creek Energy truck flipped on its side in a ditch.
Police said the driver of the fuel tanker said he swerved to avoid an oncoming semi truck and ended up rolling the fuel tanker into the ditch.
The province said little to no fuel spilled into the Similkameen River.
Mott said an extensive assessment and cleanup effort is currently underway.
“We have hired an environmental consultant agency to deal with the cleanup,” Mott said.
“In our emergency response plan, the team goes out and does the immediate containment and looks after the safety of the environment and people. They did that and now another company has come in as consultants to help us re mediate the land and figure out next steps.”
Watt said contaminated soil will be removed through hand digging and hydro-excavating.
Watt said a protective barrier is also being dug between where the spill was and the Similkameen River.
Cool Creek Energy is a branded re-seller for Imperial Oil.
“We will do whatever it takes that’s our first and foremost priority is protecting the environment and the people. We have been in contact with First Nations as well and we believe everyone’s needs have been satisfied,” Mott said.
Police are investigating and hoping to speak to anyone who witnessed the crash.
~ With files from Megan Turcato
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