Residents angry about slow response time to diesel spill near Foleyet
Some people who live near the Town of Foleyet are questioning why a diesel fuel spill from a transport collision wasn't contained before it began leaching into a nearby lake.
The transport landed in the ditch on Sept. 9 and 13 days later, a waste management team from Timmins was dispatched to respond.
Kevin Gagnon lives in Foleyet and travels to Timmins daily for work. He noticed the transport truck had gone into the ditch, next to Boulder Lake, where it remained for five days.
"After the truck was pulled out, I went back to look and you could see puddles of diesel," Gagnon said.
"It was water at first and it was all blue and then there were areas where it was all oil."
Remnants of the collision remain at the scene, where a film of diesel fuel remains on the surface of the water. Gagnon said sending someone to try to contain it now is a little too late.
"My main question is just why there was so many levels of incompetence as far as the truck driver, the tow truck, OPP, MOE," said Gagnon.
"No matter what their roles are, someone should have been worried about it."
The owner of White Pine Lodge in the area called it a "dangerous" situation.
"Like this area, from there to my place, it connects four lakes and it's one of the best fishing grounds around for walleye, pike, perch and whitefish," said Tony Godin.
In an email to CTV News, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment said:
"During a Sept. 16 visit to the site, the ministry observed the ponding of fuel and coolant near the spill site but that it had not migrated to Boulder Lake. On Sept. 21, the ministry received reports from the public that fuel had migrated to the lake with recent rainfall."
The Ministry also wrote that "it takes spills and threats to the environment very seriously."
Gagnon and Godin would beg to differ.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
Advocacy groups speak out against domestic violence comments by Nova Scotia minister
Several Nova Scotia groups that assist women are speaking out against comments on domestic violence by Justice Minister Brad Johns, and at least one is calling for his dismissal.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.
A couple lost their wedding rings during the ceremony. Two strangers found a fitting solution
Every good wedding has to have one teensy, tiny crisis.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.