An estimate of oil spilled in a fiery train derailment in rural Saskatchewan has increased to 1.6 million litres.
Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Environment says new figures from Canadian Pacific (CP) show the spill was more than the 1.2 million litres initially calculated.
The ministry says a significant amount of crude was burned off during the fire, and CP estimates 1.2 million litres of oil has so far been recovered.
The freight train jumped the tracks on Feb. 6 near Guernsey, about 115 kilometres southeast of Saskatoon.
It was the second train to go off the same stretch of tracks since December when a derailment caused a fire and spilled 1.5 million litres of oil.
Both incidents are under investigation by the Transportation Safety Board.
CP says it’s working with the government on a remediation plan and crews are still on-site to ensure equipment is removed and the area is restored.
The Canadian government lowered speed limits for trains carrying dangerous goods in the wake of the second derailment.
Trains carrying 20 or more cars with dangerous goods are limited to 56 km/h in metropolitan areas and to 64 km/h outside metropolitan areas with no track signals.
Speed limits are even lower for higher risk trains, including those with any combination of 80 or more cars containing dangerous goods.
The speed limit is 48 km/h for urban areas and 40 km/h for areas with no track signals, the statement added.
The train in the Dec. 9 derailment was travelling at roughly 70 km/h, while the train on Feb. 6 was travelling 67 km/h.
Roughly 85 people in Guernsey were evacuated to nearby Lanigan after the second derailment due to heavy black smoke in the area. They were allowed to return home just over 24 hours later.
— With files from David Giles and Reuters
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