A trail of spilled diesel fuel stretching about 15 kilometres made for slick roads near Sooke, say firefighters, who spent about an hour cleaning up the mess on Saturday afternoon.

Crews were called in just after 2 p.m., responding to reports from motorists who said their vehicles were sliding on oily sections of West Coast Road.

Sooke firefighters said the trail nearly formed a complete loop, from the corner of Otter Point Road in Sooke, along West Coast Road, up Kemp Lake Road and then back toward Sooke on Otter Point Road.

Firefighters used absorbent materials to sop up what they said looked like diesel, but could not identify the source of the leak, according to Sooke Fire Chief Steve Sorensen.

“It could be in the back of a garbage truck. It could be from a fuel truck,” he said. “There’s just no way of knowing right now.”

Firefighters said the spill was heaviest near the intersection of Otter Point and West Coast roads. Another area with plenty of fuel to clean up was where West Coast Road meets Brooks Road.

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