Derailed train spills acid into Ontario river
Residents along a section of river in Northern Ontario have been advised not to use its water after about 100 tonnes of sulphuric acid spilled from a derailed train.
Two dozen cars of an Ontario Northland train jumped the tracks on Friday afternoon about 16 kilometres north of Englehart, home to about 1,500 people north of North Bay. Nine cars carrying sulphuric acid went off the tracks.
One of the cars spilled its entire contents, estimated to be about 100 tonnes, and four cars were still leaking acid on Saturday night into the Blanche River.
The Timiskaming health unit is advising residents south of the spill that the river water has been contaminated and should not be used even to water livestock.
Ontario Environment Ministry officials are taking water samples and have arranged for lime to be added upstream of the spill site to counter the effects of the acid.
------------------
This is a real shame.
I hope they can repair the PH balance of the water quickly so the ecosystem stays as intact as possible.