Over 1,000 fish killed after firefighting foam spills into Abbotsford creek

Clean-up efforts are underway astatine Stoney Creek successful Abbotsford’s Bateman Park, wherever toxic chemicals killed an estimated 1,000 fish.

It happened connected Friday aft an accidental merchandise of firefighting foam ran into a large wind drain.

QM Environmental, nan institution contracted to remediate nan creek, said it has treated astir 1.2 cardinal litres of h2o truthful far.

“The extremity of immoderate spill we activity connected is to bring backmost to nan aforesaid authorities arsenic it was antecedently aliases into a amended authorities than it was,” said location head Troy Kizmann.

Abbotsford Fire Chief Erick Peterson said nan full occurrence section feels unspeakable astir nan spill.

“To nan citizens of Abbotsford, I americium profoundly apologetic for what’s occurred,” he said.

Peterson took work for nan incident, saying concentrated firefighting foam was accidentally spilled astatine Firehall 7, wherever it flowed into a large wind drain and into Stoney Creek.

“Firefighting foam has a batch of toxic chemicals successful it things for illustration ammonium phosphate and it only takes a fewer milligrams per litre of h2o to beryllium deadly for food truthful it’s really toxic stuff,” stream conservationist Mark Angelo said.

Along pinch nan estimated 1,000 food that died, nan metropolis said different 1,200 were moved into caller water.

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But immoderate residents stay concerned astir really nan business was handled.

“When you see nan clip it took for nan consequence wherever is that water, really acold down nan Matsqui Flats, did it make it to nan Fraser River?” parkland personification Kelly Perrin asked.

Angelo said nan incident highlights conscionable really susceptible municipality streams are.

Matsqui First Nation Chief Alice McKay told Global News food is 1 of their astir precious resources and to spot complete a 1000 dormant has been stressful.

There’s nary connection connected really agelong nan cleanup could take, nan cost, aliases if location will beryllium fines aliases disciplinary action.