Fire and hazmat crews, along with police, were called to the scene around noon. Residents were told by mid-afternoon that it was in their best interest to leave the area. “I had an officer come to my door and he asked if I was able to evacuate, that there was an oil spill,” said local resident Kyler Howel. “I said, ‘Yeah, one minute,’ and I was out.” “We’re not forcing them to leave,” says CBRM Fire and Emergency Services Director Michael Seth. “What we have done is let them know the situation we are dealing with at the moment and told them it is probably in their best interest to leave. We need to have access to the area if things escalate.” So far, Seth says 600,000 liters of petrol have leaked after a puncture in one of the tanks, adding that work is being done to try to mitigate the problem, but it may take some time. “Some of the resources we need come from the Halifax and Dartmouth area. We’re trying to find local resources that we can tap into and make things happen faster, that’s how we didn’t run out of fuel.” Officials say they are being cautious as they try to minimize the impact on the environment. “The product is contained in our secondary containment rod, and as far as how long the cleanup lasts, it’s hard to say at this point,” says Adam MacDonald, with Esso Imperial Oil. “We need to discuss strategies.” Road closures remain in effect as of Friday afternoon. George Street is closed to Debarres Street through the station, which is located on Ortona Drive. The surrounding side roads are restricted to local traffic only. People are asked to avoid the area.
