The environmental cleanup of a massive diesel spill at an Irving truck stop in Woodstock, New Brunswick, has been ongoing for over two months since its detection in December 2024. The spill, estimated to be as much as 100,000 liters of diesel, has had far-reaching impacts on businesses and homeowners surrounding the truck stop and restaurant. The spill was initially detected after customers and staff at a Tim Hortons franchise, located on the truck stop’s premises, raised concerns about a petroleum odor in the restaurant’s water supply. Subsequent testing confirmed the presence of gasoline in the untreated water, leading to a thorough investigation into the source, extent, cleanup, and mitigation efforts.
Following the discovery of the contamination in the well serving Tim Hortons and the Irving truck stop, both businesses immediately closed their doors, and a team of environment officials, Irving staff, consultants, and contractors mobilized to address the issue. The investigation revealed that the leak, initially estimated to be around 5,000 liters, was much larger than anticipated, potentially surpassing 100,000 liters. The fuel had already contaminated nearby wells and posed a risk to surrounding properties. Surface water in the nearby highway ditches was found to contain 90% fuel, prompting immediate action to collect contaminated water and mitigate the spread of the contaminant.
As cleanup efforts continue, businesses in the area, including Tim Hortons, remain closed almost three months after the spill was detected. Meanwhile, Murray’s Restaurant and the Irving gas bar reopened after a few days using potable water trucked in from the Town of Woodstock. Water testing crews have been conducting regular tests on nearby wells, businesses, and homeowners to ensure water quality remains unaffected by the spill. Despite identifying a cracked elbow on one of the Irving underground tanks as the cause of the leak, investigators were unable to determine whether the diesel leaked slowly over time or flowed quickly into the surrounding environment.
The size of the spill has shocked many, including environmental officials, who are working to determine why the release did not trigger any alarms and whether the leak occurred gradually or suddenly. The intense record-keeping and safety protocols surrounding fuel tanks have left many baffled as to how such a significant amount of fuel could leak undetected. Operators of fuel storage facilities are required to maintain precise records of fuel levels and undergo regular audits, raising questions about how the leak at the Irving truck stop went unnoticed. The Department of Environment has not provided details on the nature of the leak, directing inquiries to Irving officials who have not responded to media requests for information.
Despite ongoing cleanup and mitigation efforts, there has been no report on the extent of contamination spread, including whether the spill reached the surrounding watershed or dispersed into groundwater tables. The impact of the spill on the environment and surrounding communities is a concern for area residents and businesses as they await further information from government and company officials. The continued testing of water sources and monitoring of the cleanup progress is crucial to ensuring the safety and well-being of those affected by the diesel spill in Woodstock.
