Residents concerned about possible water contamination following Eastway Tank blast
Residents in Ottawa's Pineglen neighbourhood are voicing concerns about possible contamination to their drinking water as a result of the Eastway Tank explosion.
"They keep telling us the risk is low but it's been mostly based on the fact that the ground is frozen," said Agnes Warda with the Glens Community Association.
Multiple investigations into the cause of the blast and fire that followed on Jan. 13 are ongoing. Six people were killed.
"We not only worry what will happen in the spring, we also worry what will happen in a year's time or even in the longer term because, as you know, whatever comes through the ground eventually comes through the water but it goes slowly," Warda said.
Some former Eastway Tank employees, including the son of one of the victims, have alleged numerous safety issues at the site including previous fires, improper chemical storage and dumping material by the train tracks. The president and owner of the company says the allegations are unfounded.
In a statement to CTV News about the allegations last week, Neil Green wrote in part, "Eastway Tank has always worked to maintain the highest safety standards. We are working closely with investigators and are cooperating fully to get to the bottom of what happened."
A Ministry of Environment spokesman said there continues to be a low risk to the environment from the fire.
"The ministry is working to ensure that any environmental impacts are identified and addressed by the property owner before spring," the statement said. "At this time, there continues to be a low risk to the environment from the Eastway fire given current extreme winter conditions.
"Resident concerns about fuel are a key part of the ministry’s ongoing assessment at the site; they are taken very seriously."
Warda and others are looking for clearer answers long-term.
"We feel fine that when they say we are not in immediate danger but we would like to know what will happen next."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.