Don’t drink the water: Interior Health issues warning after coal train derails near Ashcroft

ASHCROFT (NEWS 1130) – A train derailment near Ashcroft has prompted a health advisory.

Interior Health is warning people not to drink water from the Thompson River 50 kilometres downstream of where a CP Rail coal train with 29 cars jumped the tracks.

CP says a substantial amount of metallurgical coal, a fine-ground product used in steel production, spilled into the river.

Water quality sampling stations have been set up at the spill site as well as upstream and downstream. Results aren’t expected back for a couple of days.

Interior Health says coal is relatively non-toxic but boiling the water will not remove the risk of potential chemical contamination.

A turbidity curtain and shore boom are said to be in place to keep additional coal out of the river.

The Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the possible cause of the derailment.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today