Swift Current resident frustrated by mess left behind after transport truck crash
Elizabeth Whitten | CBC News | Posted: March 17, 2025 6:27 PM | Last Updated: March 17
Truck went over an embankment over a month ago
More than a month after a transport truck went over an embankment near Swift Current, N.L., a resident of the community says she's frustrated the cleanup of the crash site has stalled.
The truck — owned by Ontario-based Ollie Transport — was removed in the same day, but debris and diesel have been left behind and near the ocean, says resident Nancy Barrington.
Despite initial attempts to clean up the site, she said it was never finished.
"All of the debris from the truck is still there. I mean there's windshields, tires, all the contents from inside the truck are still adjacent to my property," Barrington told CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show.
"It just seems I've been getting the runaround as to who should be cleaning this up. It's really frustrating."
CBC News asked Ollie Transport for an interview. The company did not respond.
Barrington said contractors were initially involved in the cleanup and remediation of the contaminated soil. She said one of the contractors told her the cleanup stopped either because the trucking company responsible for the spill didn't have insurance on the truck or that the insurance was inadequate for the cleanup.
In response to the spill, she said Petroleum and Environmental Services Inc. installed a boom in the water to contain the spilled fuel until it was cleaned up.
"Since nobody has been here, the boom has ruptured and debris has been coming out of that and going into the beach and onto the roadway down by my grandfather's wharf," said Barrington.
The boom was removed over the weekend, she said.
Company told to resume work
The Department of Digital Government and Service N.L. said it has been in contact with the company and told them they have to clean the site and remediate the spill, a responsibility that's under the Environmental Protection Act, which also includes hiring a registered site professional to facilitate the cleanup.
"The polluter began the cleanup process, however the department became aware that work at the site was not progressing as expected," said a department statement to CBC News.
"Earlier this week, the polluter was directed to resume the cleanup in a timely manner, and the department will continue to monitor progress at the site to ensure the work is completed."
Barrington said she has spoken with her MHA — Jeff Dwyer — about the situation, who then presented the problem at the House of Assembly.
Her local service district committee has also written a formal letter to Minister of Environment and Climate Change Lisa Dempster, she added.
"They are meeting to get things set up and trying to get things on the go, I guess is the better term for it, but there's still nothing done since last Thursday," said Barrington.
The crash has had a negative environmental impact, she said, pointing to the ocean in front of her home that is a salmon run as well as home to wildlife like otters, ducks, loons, seagulls and eagles.
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