Ammonia Release Kamloops
Last updated on April 5, 2023DISCLAIMER: Information provided is based on reports received by Emergency Management B.C. Information provided is considered to be current at the time of posting, but is subject to change as new information becomes available.
Incident Description
| Incident Date | May 26, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Name | DGIR: 220720 |
| Source | Storage Tank |
| Nearest Community | Kamloops, BC |
| Spilled Content | Ammonia |
| Who is involved? | B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, Emergency Management B.C., Kamloops Fire and Rescue, RCMP, WorkSafeBC, Sumas Environmental, RAM Emergency Response, Arctic Glacier Canada Inc. |
Response Phase Detail
The responsible person or spiller is legally required to clean-up or manage the clean-up of a spill. In incidents where the responsible person is unknown, unable or unwilling to manage the clean up, the Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy (ENV) may assume the role. The updates below reflect the Ministry’s oversight of the spillers’ actions; details describe the spill response phase, only, and not the complete lifecycle of the spill. See More Information for other related reports.
Updates are in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Industry-specific language may be explained in the Glossary of Terms (PDF).
Most Recent Update
June 1, 2022 - 3:00 pm
The site of the ammonia release, the Arctic Glacier Canada ice facility, is secure and under control of the RCMP. An Environmental Emergency Response Officer (EERO) from the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV) remained at the facility while contractors conducted their assessment and will continue to liaise with personnel onsite.
The facility will remain closed while the incident is investigated by the RCMP. To ensure the safety of responders and the public, ENV has requested that contractors remain onsite until the investigation is complete.
No further updates are expected at this time.
May 27, 2022 - 4:30 pm
On May 26th an ammonia leak was reported at an industrial facility on Sarcee Street East in Kamloops. The release occurred during routine maintenance and resulted in the death of a facility employee. Three other workers were taken to hospital for treatment. The facility was evacuated and the release has been shut off. The spill was confined to the building and there is no danger to the public.
Environmental Emergency Response Officers (EERO) from the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV) and RCMP are onsite investigating the cause.
Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.