Fire crews are monitoring the scene of a fire that broke out when two semi-trucks crashed on Highway 519 east of the Granum neighborhood.
The RCMP said an ambulance was called to the scene between Range Road 254 and 255 around 2pm on Thursday.
Authorities say one truck was carrying rapeseed oil while the other was loaded with rapeseed flour, but added that when the vehicles collided, they caught fire.
“Both semi-finals are currently on fire and crews are allowing it to burn. Many resources are in place, including fire services, peacekeepers, RCMP, Volker Stevin, EMS, Alberta Parks, bridge engineers and the Lethbridge irrigation area.” said the RCMP in release.
There are fears that the fire will spread to a bridge over a canal, but crews are on alert in case this happens.
No one was injured in the crash, but police are urging the public to avoid the area until further notice.
A group of four residents living nearby were also told to take shelter on the spot until the scene was cleared.
While officials say the fire was contained in the trucks, there are fears that rapeseed oil will leak into a nearby irrigation canal. (Photo: Sean Marx)
EMERGENCY SITUATION ANNOUNCED
While officials say the fire was contained in the trucks, there are fears that rapeseed oil will leak into a nearby irrigation canal.
As a result, an emergency alert was issued in Alberta.
“One vehicle is transporting rapeseed oil, which is actively leaking into the irrigation canal and left to burn in place to reduce pollution,” the bulletin said, adding that water flow through the canal was reduced.
The signal also says that restraint teams are heading to the scene.
In an interview with CTV News, Derrick Crissan, MD’s chief administrative officer at Creek Creek, said late Thursday night that “we are close to completing the cleanup at this time.”
“We know there was some material that got into the irrigation canal,” he said. “The best information we have is that we were able to intercept this about four kilometers from the scene, so it was detained.”
Further details will be published when they become available.
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