UPDATE: 4 p.m.
Fire crews have identified a manhole as the source of the contamination causing an oily sheen in Mill Creek.
However, Corrie Lang, Platoon Captain of the Kelowna Fire Department said crews are still unsure of the original source.
“We know it is coming from there, but we don’t know what is feeding it,” said Lang about the unidentified hydrocarbon pollution.
Lang said the City of Kelowna will continue the investigation and work to identify the cause.
Absorbent pads have been placed in the creek and booms will be used to contain the spill and mitigate the spread of the pollution.
Original:
Emergency crews are responding to reports of a spill of an unidentified “hydrocarbon” in Kelowna’s Mill Creek, near Brookside Avenue, according to the fire department.
Reports of the spill were first called in at approximately 1 p.m. on Feb. 5, after a man noticed a strong odour of what smelled like gasoline.
The Kelowna Fire Department is investigating and Platoon Capt. Corrie Lang said the contamination appeared to be some sort of hydrocarbon, and that it smelled like diesel, but was unable to comment on specifics.
The oily substance has been carried downstream, making identifying the source of the spill challenging. A Capital News reporter on scene noted a significant amount of garbage in the creek. Fire crews and city staff are currently working to identify the source of the contamination.
The Kelowna Fire Department is investigating a spill in Mill Creek around 1634 Hwy 97 S. The source is not known at this time. @KelownaCapNews pic.twitter.com/ltvlebbHTb
— Brittany Webster (@thebrittwebster) February 5, 2024
The man who notified emergency services of the potential contamination spoke with Capital News. He asked to remain anonymous for confidentiality concerns.
The man said he called emergency services after noticing a strong smell of gas coming from the watershed.
He said that he loves the creek and the lake and wants to help take care the Okanagan waterways.
