Crews deal with another sulphuric acid leak near Trail

For the third time this year, emergency crews, including the RCMP, firefighters and industrial cleanup teams, were pressed into action Saturday near Trail after a tractor-trailer was spotted leaking sulphuric acid.

The Trimac Transportation Ltd. truck was contracted by International Raw Materials Ltd. (IRM) to carry sulphuric acid between Teck Trail Operations and Quirk Siding Reload Centre in Waneta.

In a statement from IRM, it was after the truck unloaded its product that a “small sulphuric acid drip” was noticed.

The company says a small volume of less than one cup was found on-site at the truck-to-train transfer station and three dime-sized drips were found on 7-Mile Dam Road.

A portion of Highway 22 was closed while the Teck Emergency Response Team and Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Service scanned the route for additional spills.

IRM says all tests resulted in negative findings for sulphuric acid on the route along Highway 22 and Highway 3B.

“The trailer has been secured, and Trimac will be conducting a full investigation into the root cause of the drip and corrective actions will be taken. All sulphuric acid shipments via road have been temporarily suspended while this investigation takes place,” the company said.

Emergency crews near Trail responded to similar sulphuric acid spills on April 10 and May 23, resulting in thousands of drivers claiming the acid damaged their vehicles.