A cleanup was underway in Sooke Wednesday after about 500 litres of home-heating fuel spilled from a mobile home at 2206 Church Rd. in Sooke.
A tenant called the district Saturday to report the oil tank at the residence had leaked, Sooke Volunteer Fire Department Chief Steve Sorensen said.
“The district was advised ... and there was some contact made with the owner of the park. But because of the Christmas holidays, all we could get was voice mail,” Sorensen said.
On Tuesday, a resident reported smelling fuel oil from Church Road and an oily sheen was seen on the water in the roadside ditch, he said.
Mayor Wendal Milne said Wednesday afternoon that it appeared the leak had been contained. “Our concern is that it doesn’t get into streams and go downstream toward the [ocean].
“There are environmental people on scene right now,” Milne said.
“The responsibility right now is with the trailer park owner or the owner of the trailer to do something about it,” he said.
The water in the ditch was flowing toward a nearby creek, so district staff put down absorbent pads and built a containment dam.
The Ministry of Environment said Wednesday it is monitoring the incident to ensure the response is adequate. Attempts were in the works to notify the owner of the mobile home park, Swiftsure Developments, as well as the owner of the unit affected.
There were several spills of home-heating oil last year in Sooke, Sorensen said. Saanich recorded 28 similar spills in 2012, involving contaminants such as diesel and home-heating oil spilling into Blenkinsop Creek, Colquitz River and the Gorge Waterway.
Homeowners in the region have been urged to ensure their residential oil tanks and pipes are in good condition. Underground oil tanks are especially susceptible to leaks, and contamination can spread beneath the surface before a leak becomes apparent.
Homeowners are responsible for the cost of cleaning up such spills.
© Copyright 2013
