Motor Vehicle Incident Sicamous

Disclaimer:

• Information provided is based on reports received by Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR)
• Information provided is considered to be current at the time of posting, but is subject to change

Incident description

Incident Date	August 24, 2024
Name	DGIR: 243341
Source	Transport Truck
Nearest Community	Sicamous, BC
Spilled Content	Diesel, engine oil
Who is involved	Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV), Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI), RCMP, Shuswap Search and Rescue, Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, BC Ambulance, BC Coroner Service, Sicamous Fire Department, Splatsin First Nation, Columbia Shuswap Regional District, Shuswap Emergency Program

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Response phase details

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 cleanup, the Ministry of Environment and 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. Visit the 'More information' page for other 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, 106KB).

Most recent updates

August 27

On August 24th, 2024, a transport truck was involved in a single-vehicle incident on Highway 1 near Sicamous, B.C. The truck went off the RW Bruhn Bridge in Sicamous Narrows between Mara Lake and Salmon Arm.  

Approximately 200 liters of diesel released from the fuel tanks into the water. Miscellaneous debris from the trailer was also released.

Diesel impacts were observed on beaches on the east side of the Sicamous Narrows.

On August 25th, the truck was recovered from the lake. Additional engine oil and diesel was released during recovery. Booms were set up to capture the released engine oil and diesel. A vacuum truck was on site to remove the sheen from the water. 

The removal of the truck eliminated the threat of further pollution.  

Environmental consultants were on site carrying out spill response activities.

Representatives of Splatsin First Nation were on site. They provided valuable information and advice to protect cultural resources in the area. 

Sicamous Fire Department closed the public beaches in the area. The beaches will remain closed until the diesel is no longer an impact. Sampling is ongoing.

An ENV Environmental Emergency Response Officer was deployed to the site. They oversaw the response and mitigation to the environment.  

Further updates will be made if more information is available.