Boat closes gas station

Photo: David Ogilvie

Fuel spill into boat's engine compartment closes gas station.

UPDATE: 6:55 p.m.

Concern over a possible explosion after a large fuel leak into a yellow boat led West Kelowna Fire Rescue (WKRF)  to close the Petro-Canada gas station at Ross Road and East Boundary Road on Sunday afternoon.

When firefighters arrived, “they were able to determine the internal fuel filling equipment on a powerboat had leaked 100-plus litres of gasoline into the vessel's hull and engine compartment,' said Darren Lee, assistant fire chief. “Due to the volume of the fuel trapped and the risk to the surrounding people and buildings, Engine 32 requested the assistance of additional units and elevated the response to a second alarm.”

Lee said the gas station was evacuated and closed for several hours while vehicle and pedestrian traffic were diverted from the area until the explosion hazard was safely mitigated.

“WKFR responded with two engines, one squad and two command units for a total of 12 firefighters on scene. Additional units were called to backfill Westbank and Lakeview Heights during the incident. These standby crews shuttled specialty equipment to the scene.”

The spill recovery was coordinated with Kelowna Fire Rescue's hazmat team and the Ministry of Environment.

Provincial officials provided a local hazmat contractor that operates a vacuum truck capable of safely suctioning flammable liquids.

Firefighters drained approximately 100 litres of gasoline from the hull of the boat into a temporary containment pool which the vacuum truck then transferred into its holding tank.

The Ministry of Environment will coordinate any remaining remediation at the scene, Lee said.

Road closures were lifted by the West Kelowna RCMP around 5:30 p.m.

UPDATE: 3:40 p.m.

Is a yellow boat to blame for the closure of the forecourt at the PetroCan station at Ross Road by Highway 97 on Sunday afternoon?

It's believed someone towing the boat filled up at the gas station and then pulled out of the driveway onto Ross Road leaking fuel all the way, according to one passerby.

The vehicle stopped and the station was sealed off with cones around 12:20 p.m.

Three fire engines with a hazmat team attended, closing the gas station and Ross Road at the Bartley Road intersection, near Highway 97.

A West Kelowna fire department crew and an ambulance are at the PetroCan station at Ross Road by Highway 97, according to witnesses.

The gas station and Ross Road have been closed to traffic.

A fire department spokesperson refused to give any information.