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RCMP question suspect in View Royal chemical spill

A man suspected of dumping a hazardous substance in front of a mobile home on the Songhees First Natiion on Thursday has been located and questioned by the West Shore RCMP, but there have been no charges.
Police tape generic photo
Twelve homes were evacuated Thursday night due to a toxic chemical spill on the Songhees First Nation in View Royal after a man dumped 180 gallons of sodium hydroxide.

A man suspected of dumping a hazardous substance in front of a mobile home on the Songhees First Natiion on Thursday has been located and questioned by the West Shore RCMP, but there have been no charges.

Twelve homes were evacuated Thursday night from an area adjacent to View Royal after a man dumped 680 litres of what is suspected to be sodium hydroxide. Residents have since been allowed back into their homes.

View Royal firefighters were called to a home on Middle Road at about 5:50 p.m. after neighbours reported seeing a man empty four 170-litre barrels onto his front yard, View Royal Fire chief Paul Hurst said.

The man was vacating the home, possibly being evicted, Hurst said.

West Shore RCMP Const. Alex Berube said the man, who is between 40 and 50, was found last night at the site of the spill and questioned by RCMP.

More than two dozen firefighters and hazardous-material technicians from View Royal and Colwood, as well as Ministry of Environment staff and workers from Quantum Environmental, were at the scene Thursday night, Hurst said.

Crews contained the spill and the chemical, also known as caustic soda, did not get into any water streams.

Mobile homes within 100 metres of the spill were evacuated as a precaution. Residents were picked up by B.C. Transit buses and taken to a West Shore seniors centre.

“So lots of people displaced for an unnecessary and unfortunate issue,” Hurst said.

“It is still under investigation,” Berube said. “We’re still going to be looking at all the other circumstances.”